Mirage, Trump agree to dismissal of lawsuits

Angie Wagner

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000 | 9:57 a.m.

Two legal disputes between bitter rivals Steve Wynn and Donald Trump were resolved with word Wednesday of an agreement by Wynn's Mirage Resorts Inc. to drop two lawsuits against the Donald.

While Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman wouldn't provide details, the agreement apparently resolves lawsuits filed by Mirage Resorts against Trump in 1997 in New York and last year in Las Vegas.

In the 1997 New York case, Mirage claimed Trump, Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts and Hilton Hotels Corp. had pursued litigation and lobbying activities against Mirage to prevent competition in Atlantic City, N.J.

In the $150 million antitrust suit, Mirage contended the defendants conspired to stop Mirage from building a $1 billion Las Vegas-style resort. Wynn had said he would build the casino if the state would help finance a roadway and tunnel linking the Atlantic City Expressway with the city's marina district.

Trump, who owns three Atlantic City casinos, had filed lawsuits to stop the state funding and helped pay for a suit by residents to block the project.

Another lawsuit was filed by Mirage in April 1999 in Las Vegas. In that lawsuit, Mirage sued Trump and several individuals for allegedly stealing trade secrets.

The lawsuit claimed, among other things, that Paul Liu and Laura Choi had delivered the trade secrets during periods covered by their Mirage employment agreements, which contained confidentiality and non-compete clauses.

The dismissal of the lawsuits is with prejudice, meaning they can't be refiled later. No money was paid by either side.

Feldman said Mirage officials wouldn't have any further comment. Spokesmen for Trump Hotels in New York couldn't be reached for comment late Wednesday.

Wynn and Trump have a long history of litigation. In 1991, Mirage Resorts, then known as Golden Nugget Inc., sued Trump and Dennis Gomes, a Wynn executive who had accepted appointment as president of Trump Taj Mahal. The lawsuit was settled in 1994.