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Seminole Tribe Accused of Being Greedy

FLORIDA – As reported by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "The company that built two Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino complexes filed a blistering motion in federal court Friday, accusing the tribe of extraordinary greed and saying it resorted to lying and "whining" to avoid paying more than $2 billion it owes the developer.

"The allegations came in response to a lawsuit filed last month by the tribe, which wants to break the contract its own leaders approved six years ago with Power Plant Entertainment to build giant casinos in Hollywood and Tampa.

"Lawyers for Power Plant, an arm of Baltimore-based Cordish Co., say tribal leaders knowingly entered into the agreements and stand to make $17.5 billion over the lifetime of the various deals, which run between 10 and 25 years.

"Without Power Plant's expertise and stature, the tribe would never have been able to secure more than $400 million in bonds needed for the projects, according to the lawyers' motion to dismiss the Seminole suit. It said the tribe signed more than 30 agreements and repeatedly assured investors before construction began that all its contracts with Cordish and Power Plant were proper.

"…With a huge windfall at stake, each side is accusing the other in court papers of avarice and duplicity. The case hinges on whether contracts the tribe entered into with Power Plant to build the casino complexes are valid or excessively -- and illegally -- tilted toward the developer.

"In its lawsuit last month, tribal lawyers called the deals 'unconscionable' and said they violated federal guidelines protecting Indian tribes from unfair agreements. Power Plant put up no more than $20 million and stands to make more than 100 times its investment, according to the lawsuit…"

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