LaSalle Wins Another Round in Ouster Case

LaSalle's COO Michael Barnello tells GlobeSt.com that the writ also guarantees a decision "in a reasonable time frame." Still, everyone knows that's a subjective call and has been before the courts many times before to determine if a ruling or action was in fact delivered in an expedient manner.

Once again, the London-based Le Meridien Inc.'s US execs did not return telephone calls to comment on the legal battle to oust the operator from the Plaza of the Americas along Pearl Street in downtown Dallas. LaSalle's legal play in New Orleans focuses on a 497-room Canal Street hotel that Le Meridien has operated since the mid-1980s. Bethesda, MD-based La Salle bought it in 1996 and the 407-room hotel in the mixed-use Plaza of the Americas in 1997. Le Meridien been the only operator in the 22-year history of the Dallas hotel.

"We're still frustrated that we have to go through this," Barnello stresses. He has vowed to seek compensatory damages for all costs associated with the delay in regaining control of the properties. The longer it takes, says Barnello, "the bigger the damages will be." This is the second time since mid-May that a Dallas court has upheld LaSalle's bid to get the issue resolved. Le Meridien is seeking to delay the case until November.