DeltaPlex Suit Settled

A lawsuit filed by the owner of a Grand Rapids, Mich., venue that alleged anti-competitive practices by the operators of a rival venue has been settled.

The 2008 suit was filed by DeltaPlex owner Joel Langlois after apparently inadvertently being sent an e-mail containing a draft proposal of a promoter agreement between SMG and Live Nation concerning another venue in the area – the Van Andel Arena.

The deal included a provision that LN would pay a portion of profits from shows at other facilities in the region to the publicly owned Van Andel.

Needless to say, Langlois was taken aback by the news, issuing a statement at the time that he was “outraged” that he supported and subsidized the Van Andel through taxes and then also had to suffer “the indignity of having it intentionally driving up costs at the DeltaPlex to injure it and drive all concerts to the Van Andel.”

A lawyer for the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention and Arena Authority that owns the Van Andel Arena told the Grand Rapids Press the proposal outlined in the e-mail was never approved and never took effect.

The settlement reportedly prohibits parties from either side from entering into contracts that would inhibit the other venue. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.