Interface Group Awarded Summary Judgment Against GES; District Court of Clark County Rules in Favor of The Interface Group

Business Wire, March 31, 2000

Business Editors & Gaming Industry Writers

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2000

The District Court of Clark County has granted summary judgment to The Interface Group - Nevada Inc., which successfully defended a breach of contract suit brought by GES Exposition Services. (An award of summary judgment means that, because there was no disagreement as to the facts of this case, The Interface Group won this case based upon the law, i.e., the Court agreed with The Interface Group's interpretation of the contract in question).

In its lawsuit, GES falsely claimed that The Interface Group had violated the "Right of First Refusal" clause in the parties' Electrical and Plumbing Services License Agreement ("ESA") by failing to directly provide the secondary distribution of electrical power and plumbing services to exhibitors at The Sands Expo & Convention Center, following expiration of that agreement on Dec. 31, 1995.

The District Court disagreed with GES' claims, however, and ruled in favor of The Interface Group stating that The Interface Group did not violate the ESA's first right of refusal clause.

In its ruling, the District Court stated that, because The Interface Group had taken all business risks associated with the provision of its services, and because The Interface Group had provided adequate services to exhibitors through the renting of electrical labor, plumbing labor and certain plumbing materials, that The Interface Group had not ceased or failed to directly provide these services to its exhibitors.

"This ruling simply verifies our original counterclaim that The Interface Group was fair in its dealings with GES, and has gone on to provide services to our convention guests that are at or above the standards set forth in the ESA," said Richard Heller, president and general manager of The Sands Expo & Convention Center, a 1.2 million square-foot convention facility owned by The Interface Group.