Racism alleged in credit dispute

Wednesday, April 26, 2000 | 10:47 a.m.

A Las Vegas man sued the Paris hotel-casino, a casino credit executive and Bally's Las Vegas, claiming they refused to extend credit to him because he is black.

In a Clark County District Court suit, Leroy Moore Sr., who said he was a patron at Paris on Sept. 1, alleged his driver's license, which he had presented in his application for a line of credit, was confiscated and that he was unlawfully detained and publicly humiliated.

Moore, who said he gambled and lost $10,000 in markers while waiting for his line of credit to be issued, alleged Joseph Calabrese, a Paris casino credit executive, refused to return his driver's license and detained him until he paid that debt.

Moore said Calabrese, who accused him of owing $23,000 in prior gaming debts at Bally's, allegedly refused to extend further credit to him until he paid those debts as well.

"Paris held (Moore) because of the Bally's debt. But this has already been extinguished in prior court proceedings. So they had no basis for holding him," said Cal Potter, Moore's attorney.

A Paris official could not be reached for comment on the allegations.

Paris and Bally's are sister properties and both are owned by Park Place Entertainment Corp. of Las Vegas.