LV resort sues alleged copycat website

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000 | 11:33 a.m.

The Las Vegas Strip's Bellagio resort sued Allen Computers of Downey, Calif., and its owner, Mark Denhammer, alleging they illegally used the Bellagio name to offer hotel reservations for the hotel-casino on the Internet.

In a U.S. District Court suit Monday, Bellagio alleged Denhammer began in September to offer online hotel reservations at his website, bellagiolasvegas.com.

Bellagio, which said its attorney told Denhammer on Sep. 20 to stop infringing the hotel-casino's trademark, alleged the defendants responded on Sep. 24, saying they "removed the site from the Internet, but aren't willing to simply surrender the (Bellagio) domain name."

The suit alleged Denhammer offered to sell the domain name to Bellagio for $1,000.

The defendants could not be reached for comment.