Stupak in litigation over LV motel

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2001 | 10:24 a.m.

Casino maverick Bob Stupak sued to repossess a safe and its contents allegedly located at the low-rent Thunderbird Hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard from Thunderbird Hotel Management Corp. and Thunderbird Hotel Group LLC.

Thunderbird Hotel Management, which owns the Thunderbird Hotel, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November, listing assets of $3.5 million and liabilities of $2.227 million.

In a Clark County District Court lawsuit, Stupak claims Douglas DaSilva, who is alleged to have bought the Thunderbird Hotel from Stupak in October 1999 for $5 million, allegedly refused to allow Stupak to "have peaceful entry" into the motel to retrieve the safe and its contents.

The suit alleged the defendants' refusal to relinquish the safe is "an apparent effort to 'strike back' at (Stupak's) request for payment of monies that Thunderbird Hotel Management owes (Stupak's company) Thunderbird Hotel Corp."

Separately, Stupak, through his company, Thunderbird Hotel Corp., sued DaSilva, alleging he defaulted on payments for a $2 million loan plus interest when it matured on July 14.

In a Clark County District Court suit, Stupak said the loan was secured by a trust deed and DaSilva had agreed to guarantee payment of the loan.

The defendants could not be reached for comment on allegations in both suits.