Court rejects Binion’s petition

Thursday, April 11, 2002 | 11:09 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the petition of Binion's Horseshoe Club in Las Vegas to lift a $1.9 million lien filed against it by the Fremont Street Experience.

The Horseshoe and the Fremont Street Experience are fighting over whether the casino owes back assessments to pay off loans taken to build and run the pedestrian mall in downtown Las Vegas.

District Judge Gene Porter, in January, granted the Fremont Street Experience's request to have a writ of attachment -- a document that allows the Clark County sheriff to seize funds to secure an unsecured claim -- imposed on $1.9 million in funds at Binion's casino cage.

The Horseshoe appealed to the Supreme Court, saying the writ would force the hotel to close and throw its 1,700 workers "onto the streets."

Horseshoe lawyers said the hotel-casino is required to keep $1.2 million in its cage and the writ would knock that out.

The Supreme Court denied the petition by the Horseshoe. It said the Horseshoe could post a bond in order to prevent the attachment of the casino proceeds while the case continues in district court. A trial date is set for Jan. 7, 2003.

Fremont Street attorney Pat Reilly said today that the Horseshoe obtained a cash bond to secure the $1.9 million in alleged owed assessments.