Wynn has filed a lawsuit against Fontainebleau Las Vegas for poaching staff from its Las Vegas property, according to reports from across Las Vegas media outlets including the Review-Journal and News 3, being called an ‘unhealthy obsession.’
The issue was said to have first come to light in mid-2022, during the development of the Fontainebleau executive team. Officials from Wynn stated that Fontainebleau attempted to solicit staff to join the team, despite Wynn's contracts including non-competition agreements.
While the issue was discussed at the time via executives representing each company, it allegedly continued despite agreements to cease this behavior. Examples given include David Snyder, who joined Fontainebleau in mid-2022. Snyder had been contacted by Fontainebleau and joined the team despite having renewed his Wynn contract in January 2021, aiding Fontainebleau in its launch.
Fontainebleau’s executive team has also been subject to a multitude of changes, with staff including SVP of Casino Operations Michael Clifford, COO Colleen Birch, CMO Shane Smith and President Mark Tricano leaving the company since January. This is despite the venue only opening in December 2023.
The lawsuit was filed against Fontainebleau Las Vegas businesses Fontainebleau Las Vegas II LLC, Fontainebleau Development LLC and Bowtie Development LLC, alongside 10 defendants who have not been named.
When the lawsuit was filed with the Clark County District Court, Wynn asked that an injunction be put in place, cutting Fontainebleau’s poaching activities. Fontainebleau would also be billed for damages exceeding $15,000, as determined by the court.
The lawsuit comes following previous cases faced by major operations in Las Vegas. In November the Las Vegas Grand Prix faced a lawsuit on behalf of 35,000 fans whose race viewing experience was cut short due to track safety issues. It also follows a class action lawsuit taken against DraftKings in Massachusetts in December, where the online sportsbook was accused of deceptive advertising.
