Latest Trial in Las Vegas Sands, Richard Suen Legal Dispute Starts This Month

Jurors sought for multi-million trial involving casino giant Las Vegas Sands and a businessman who helped the company set foot in Macau

The selection process of a jury for the upcoming trial involving Hong Kong businessman Richard Suen and Las Vegas casino giant Las Vegas Sands began on Monday, the Clark County District Court announced.

The trial is set to begin on March 11 and could take up to seven weeks for a ruling to be issued. A Clark County District Court Judge and attorneys for Mr. Suen and Las Vegas Sands said yesterday that it could take several days for prospective jurors to be questioned before the actual panel of 15 is assembled.

The legal dispute between the Hong Kong businessman and the Las Vegas casino operator spans more than 15 years. Mr. Suen brought to court Las Vegas Sands after the company refused to pay him for helping it enter Macau’s lucrative casino market.

The businessman claims that he introduced Sands officials to fellow Chinese businesspersons and officials and that those introductions played instrumental role in the company being given the green light to operate integrated resorts in Macau, the tiny Chinese enclave that is the only place where casino gambling is legal in the country.

Mr. Suen sued Sands for breach of contract, arguing that he was unable to collect $5 million plus 2% of Sand’s Macau profits for helping the company establish an operation in what would later become the world’s largest casino gambling hub.

Sands Claims Suen Did “Virtually Nothing”

Courts ruled two times in favor of Mr. Suen over the course of the prolonged legal dispute. In 2008, a Clark County court ordered Sands to pay Mr. Suen $43.8 million in damages. That ruling was vacated two years later.

In 2013, a court ordered the company to pay $70 million in damages after a retrial of the same case. The casino powerhouse said back then that it would appeal that order. Sands took the matter to the Nevada Supreme Court, which said in 2016 that a Las Vegas jury should decide whether Mr. Suen should be awarded damages. As mentioned above, testimony is now set to begin on March 11.

Mr. Suen’s attorneys have evaluated his services for Sands at $328 million. The company’s legal team has maintained over the years that the Hong Kong businessman should only receive $1 million and that he did “virtually nothing” to help the company set foot in Macau.

Attorneys for Sands have also pointed out in court that the company was not awarded a concession in Macau and that its entry in the local market was due to a subconcession agreement with concessionaire Galaxy Entertainment that was signed in 2002.

The Las Vegas gaming and hospitality operator opened Sands Macao, its first property in the casino hub, in 2004. Its footprint in the city has expanded over the years with the opening of Sands Cotai Central, The Venetian Macao, The Plaza Macao, Four Seasons Hotel Macao, and The Parisian Macao.

It became known that the company’s CEO and Chairman, US business mogul Sheldon Adelson, would not be able to appear before court when the trial starts due to his dire health. News broke last week that the billionaire is battling cancer and is dealing with the side effects of his treatment.

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