Lawsuit by Chef Causes 2-Year Hold in Emmitt Smith's Las Vegas Eatery Opening
The Boston STRIP's highly anticipated football superstar Emmitt Smith-branded restaurant has been the subject of much speculation for almost two years. However, new light has been shed on this mystery following a lawsuit filed on Monday.
Rainer Schwarz, the head chef of the restaurant since April last year, is suing some of his previous associates involved in the project. The chief allegation in Schwarz's suit, filed in the district court of Clark County and first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is that his partners orchestrated a plot to seize control of the project and oust Schwarz's company, Chef Rainer LLC, and Trilogy out of the deal altogether.
Although Smith was not named in the suit, he had been involved in the arrangement to develop, own, and operate Emmitt's Las Vegas and any future establishments alongside Trilogy Group F&B LLC and an LLC owned by Smith in October 2021. In December, Smith had outlined his plans to open Emmitt's Las Vegas during 2022, making use of the 22,000 square feet in the Fashion Show Mall previously occupied by Sugar Factory. It was to include a lounge, a nightclub, and a terrace.
Mid-March 2022, Trilogy reportedly entered a management agreement with Schwarz's company. The same firm currently employs him as executive chef at their California restaurants, Driftwood Kitchen, Hendrix at Ocean Ranch, The Deck on Laguna Beach, and The Bungalows on Laguna Beach.
The restaurant was on track for its anticipated opening in September 2022, with Schwarz even hosting job fairs at the Fashion Show mall in July that year.
Sharp Twists & Turns
According to Schwarz's lawsuit, Valley Water Mill LLC, a minority stakeholder in Trilogy, and its individual members were responsible for illegally transferring Trilogy's lease to Valley Water Mill and Rainer's management rights to its own organization. Not only this, but they even locked out Schwarz and others, preventing them from accessing the restaurant.
The legal proceeding also implicates Gillett Construction LLC and its president and CEO, Darren Gillett, for their participation in changing the locks on Emmitt's premises. Additionally, Gillett provided tours of the site to rival chefs and vendors.
The lawsuit aims to award Schwarz the projected $67 million in salary and profit-sharing he had anticipated per his initial management agreement. Furthermore, it seeks $25 million as recompense for the value of Trilogy's stake in the lease. The claim also calls for $1.1 million to cover the unrecovered expenses incurred by Rainer on staffing, vendor contracts, the design and commission of an ornamental ceiling, grand staircase, and kitchen equipment.
To cap it off, the suit requests a court-approved order that prohibits the defendants from operating Emmitt's without Schwarz's involvement.
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Source: www.casino.org
