The communities are located in 13 states throughout the country. They are owned by Senior Housing Property, leased to Five Star, its affiliate, and managed by Marriott Senior Living Services, a 100% subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc.

Five Star Quality Care Inc. and Senior Housing Properties Trust, both of Newton, sued Marriott, accusing it of keeping money that the owners were owed from 31 senior centers that Marriott ran. Despite the litigation, Sunrise Assisted Living Inc. recently agreed to buy Marriott's senior living unit for $150 million in cash and assumed debt to become the largest manager of senior living centers in the US. Both Five Star and Senior Housing attempted to prevent the sale because they insisted that they should have approval rights on the buyer. The companies lost in a Massachusetts court.

But David J. Hegarty, president of Senior Housing, tells GlobeSt.com that the company will continue to pursue Marriott in both Maryland and Massachusetts courts. He says his company wants to be able to terminate its contracts with Marriott. If Senior Housing and Five Star prevail in court, Sunrise will have to give up those contracts.

Hegarty says that the case also involves tens of millions of dollars that Senior Housing and Five Star contend they are owned by Marriott as profits on those contracts.