Lawuit alleges developer wrongly used information

Jennifer Shubinski

Monday, April 25, 2005 | 11:05 a.m.

Sasson Hallier Properties LLC, the company building the now-under-construction Panorama Towers, is suing the Related Cos. for allegedly wrongfully retaining and using its confidential and proprietary information.

The lawsuit, filed in Clark County District Court last week, is asking the court for a temporary retraining order or a permanent injunction to keep the Related Cos., based in Florida, from continuing to use any information that might be in its possession.

The lawsuit claims that Sasson Hallier Properties, owned by Andrew Sasson and Laurence Hallier, was negotiating a joint venture arrangement in its Panorama Towers development with the Related Cos. As part of the negotiations, Sasson Hallier handed over its databases that included financials, marketing information and contracts to the Related Cos.

Panorama Towers, on Industrial Road at Harmon Avenue, is two planned 400-foot condominium towers. The first tower is sold out, and the units in the second tower are currently for sale. Both towers are under construction, according to the lawsuit.

The joint venture negotiations later fell apart, but the Related Cos. wrongfully kept the databases and used the information to develop its own local condominium project named the Icon, the lawsuit alleges.

Marty Burger, executive vice president of the Related Cos., said he has received a copy of the lawsuit and is currently reviewing it.

"We think the merits are totally ridiculous and we will be responding to it appropriately," Burger said.

Burger said he could not say whether that means the Related Cos. would be filing a countersuit against Sasson Hallier.

In addition to Icon, the Related Cos. is working with the city of Las Vegas to develop the city-owned 61 acres near downtown Las Vegas and the nearby World Market Center.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs could not be reached for comment.

The lawsuit also alleges that the Related Cos. used Sasson Hallier's customer list to embark "on a crusade of disparagement." Sasson Hallier alleges the Related Cos. contacted customers and attempted to persuade them to cancel their existing contracts and contacted two customers by direct mail.

The lawsuit also alleges that a former Sasson Hallier employee, Andrew Prinsloo, downloaded information from company computers on his last day before going to work for the Related Cos.' Icon project.

Prinsloo, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, could not be reached for comment.