by Paul SteenoTue, May 12th 2020, 5:01 AM EDT
MACKINAC COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — The interior designer of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island has filed a lawsuit against the former owner of the hotel, Dan Musser, and the Grand Hotel Holding Company.
For more than 40 years, world-renowned designer Carleton Varney worked with the hotel, loaning many items from his personal collection to decorate various rooms, which his attorneys now argue helped enhance the business’s marketability.
Varney and his legal team allege that Musser converted the loaned pieces for his own benefit in 2019 when the Grand Hotel was sold to KSL Capital Partners, without informing Varney.
“We have to show that those are our items, I don’t think there is any question that they are. We never sold them. It would be like somebody loaning a piece of art to a museum. That doesn’t mean they still own the piece of art so that’s analogous to what I’m talking about,” said Victor Mastromarco, Varney’s attorney. “These pieces of artwork, there’s no question they knew, were his.”
Varney is suing the hotel for age discrimination, name and likeness appropriation, among other things.
According to Varney’s complaint, Musser referred to him as “too old,” and suggested that his age was the reason his work was no longer wanted by the hotel.
Varney is 83-years-old.
Current Grand Hotel Executive Vice President and Managing Director Ken Hayward said they are aware that litigation has been filed against the former owner and added that hotel staff can’t comment on open litigation, per their policy.
“We have a deep appreciation and respect for Dorothy Draper & Co. and Carleton Varney’s award-winning work on behalf of Grand Hotel,” Hayward said. “We recognize that the unique ambiance is part of what makes staying here such a special experience for our guests. We remain dedicated to honoring the traditions of Grand Hotel while making improved enhancements, including reimagining the Esther Williams Swimming Pool.”
For The Original Article Go To:
https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/decades-long-interior-designer-of-grand-hotel-sues-new-owners