DETROIT— Three restaurants, one banquet center, and one popular hotel have filed a lawsuit against the State of Michigan challenging the blacklisting of Fishbones, Pegasus, The International Banquet and Conference Center, the Beaubien Deli and the Atheneum Suite Hotel from doing business with any of the three Detroit casinos or any third party interests tied to the casinos. The ban amounts to government steering of customers away from the 529 waiters and service people at those establishments to competitors. “Average people who have nothing to do with a casino should not have to pay—what amounts to a fine—in lost wages and tips simply because they work for Fishbones or Pegasus,” said Ted Gatzaros, co-owner of the business ventures. The lawsuit, filed in Wayne County Circuit Court seeks to have the Michigan Gaming Control Boards actions declared to be in violation of the Michigan Constitution. It also asks the court to stop the state from continuing an unlawful campaign preventing these business owners and their employees from accepting discount coupons given to casino customers for dinner or hotel stays. Several dozen hotel employees have been laid off as a result of the states lock-out; and waiters have reported losing $600 a month in earnings since the government began steering business to other restaurants, totaling $3,600 in lost earnings.
