Industry News

Wynn files $600,000 lawsuit against Wantickets

Casino giant Wynn has filed a lawsuit against Wantickets in relation to its failed acquisition by Eventbrite.

The lawsuit alleges a $600,000 (£466,000/€527,000) breach of contract after a deal fell apart following the firing of Wantickets founder and president Barack Schurr, as well as chief executive Diego Carlin.

Last year, Eventbrite attempted to purchase Wantickets, but the deal fell through at the last hurdle, leaving a new buyer to take over and the firings to take place subsequently.

The two men at the top of Wantickets had allegedly been working alongside Wynn Las Vegas to secure a ticketing contract with Eventbrite, despite the sale not yet being closed. In other words, the Wantickets employees were working on behalf of Eventbrite, before an acquisition was concluded.

Therefore, when the pair were fired, it caused Wantickets to lose the Wynn ticketing contract to Ticketfly at the last minute.

Wynn proceeded to file a lawsuit against Wantickets in Clark County on the grounds of a breach of contract, breach of covenant on good faith and fair dealing, as well as unjust enrichment.

Schurr and Carlin were quickly hired to work for Eventbrite. Wynn then notified the new owner of Wantickets that the casino was considering moving its business over to Eventbrite at the urging of Schurr.

It requested Wantickets to submit a counter proposal to which its chief financial officer, Richard Blakely, wrote in a sworn declaration: “Thanks to the disloyalty of our own salesperson, we face the risk of losing our largest client.”

According to Amplify magazine, Wynn’s legal team has claimed that Wantickets owes the firm $600,000 in outstanding ticket sales.

According to the lawsuit, Wynn changed its contract with Wantickets in September, the same time the firings went public and the Wynn was ending its relationship with Wantickets, and in March “demanded payment of outstanding amounts due pursuant to the Agreement, as amended and assigned.”

Amplify reported that the lawsuit has stated that Wantickets has since failed to pay the sum. The casino is asking for the full repayment amount plus $15,000 in damages.

Image: David Vasquez