Dick Clark is suing the operator of the historic Queen Mary ocean liner, alleging that fraud and breach of contract prevented construction of a music-themed museum as part of a $150 million tourism project. The Superior Court lawsuit filed this month by Delaware-based Dick Clark Communications claims Queens Seaport Development breached an October 1999 agreement to develop and maintain Dick Clark’s Great American Music Experience.
The project was to include the refurbishment of the adjacent Queen Mary Hotel and the development of nearby shops, restaurants and attractions, the lawsuit said, adding Queens Seaport agreed to give Clark’s firm $15,000 in monthly consulting fees for seven years.
The lawsuit alleges that Queens Seaport defaulted on the monthly payments.
Queens Seaport Development President and chief executive officer Joseph Prevratil wouldn’t comment Tuesday.
The lawsuit asks for $2.8 million in damages plus interest, and $10 million in punitive damages.
The museum was proposed as part of a $150 million complex around the Queen Mary, the transportation relic converted to a tourist attraction in Long Beach harbor, south of Los Angeles. The complex also was to have a 7,500-seat events venue in the former Spruce Goose dome and a science fiction hall of fame, according to the lawsuit.
