GGRAsia – Genting to fight U.S. claim it copied Wynn look in Vegas

Genting to fight U.S. claim it copied Wynn look in Vegas

Dec 27, 2018 Newsdesk Latest News, Top of the deck, World

Resorts World Las Vegas LLC, a United States-based unit of Malaysian casino operator Genting Bhd, will “strenuously defend” a civil case brought against it by Wynn Resorts Ltd. The latter alleges Genting copied Wynn’s architectural look for its under-construction property Resorts World Las Vegas. The venue next door to Wynn Las Vegas at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip in the Nevada gaming hub.

Nonetheless news about the latest U.S. court matter – which comes soon after it was announced that Genting unit Genting Malaysia Bhd was embroiled in a major U.S. lawsuit with the Fox brand concerning a stalled theme park at the Resorts World Genting casino complex in Malaysia – coincided with a decline in Genting stock prices.

At the end of Wednesday trading on Bursa Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, shares in the Genting parent and in Genting Malaysia were down. Genting fell about 3.37 percent, closing at MYR6.02 (US$1.44) a share. Shares in Genting Malaysia eased about 2.64 percent to MYR2.95. In early trade on Thursday, the share prices of both companies had improved marginally.

Genting Bhd issued a written statement on Wednesday confirming that Wynn Resorts was suing, basing its complaint on trade dress infringement, trademark dilution and copyright infringement over the design of Resorts World Las Vegas.

“Resorts World Las Vegas is in the process of reviewing the complaint with its legal counsels and will strenuously defend the claim and take all necessary legal action, as appropriate,” the Genting statement said. The complaint will be answered on or before January 14, the filing to Bursa Malaysia added.

Wynn Resorts alleges that Resorts World Las Vegas LLC is trying to confuse the public by giving its casino resort an appearance similar to that of the Wynn Las Vegas. The Wynn brand’s hotel towers have distinctive curved appearance, and are covered in a bronze-coloured glass. The legal action is said to include images of the Resorts World Las Vegas design, which reportedly includes bronze-coloured glass.

The Associated Press reported yesterday that Wynn Resorts lodged its complaint in a Nevada court last Friday. Reports in other news media say Wynn Resorts is seeking exemplary and punitive damages over the five counts: federal trade dress infringement, unfair competition and false designation of origin, federal trademark dilution, state trademark dilution and copyright infringement.

Wynn Resorts is the parent company of Wynn Macau Ltd, which runs two casino resorts in Macau.

Resorts World Las Vegas is being developed by Genting Americas Inc. Earlier this year, the Telsey Advisory Group LLC said the launch of Resorts World Las Vegas might be delayed. The casino resort is officially due to open in 2020, according to public statements by Genting.

Genting Americas has previously described Resorts World Las Vegas as a “multibillion-dollar integrated resort”, that is designed to appeal to Chinese and other East Asian gamblers. Recently it has not specified a budget for the project. Investment analysts have mentioned a US$4-billion price tag.