Elvis Presley Enterprises in dispute over Westgate’s closure of Elvis exhibit
In a statement sent to the Review-Journal, EPE said the Westgate on Friday seized, 'without any legitimate legal basis', hundreds of Elvis artifacts on loan to the exhibition from the Graceland Archives.
Westgate chief operating officer Mark Waltrip said Sunday the 28,000-square-foot exhibit was shuttered as a 'protective action' because the tenant, an EPE licensee, was threatening to default on the 10-year contract.
The tenant is Exhibit A Circle, a Delaware limited-liability company with offices in New Jersey.
EPE said it is not a party in the third-party dispute and has no contractual relationship with the Westgate, but 'we have no choice but to pursue all legal means necessary to ensure the return of our artifacts immediately'.
According to the statement, 'Despite our wishes to retrieve these artifacts and return them to Graceland, the Westgate is currently preventing staff from accessing the exhibition space to pack up and bring home these priceless pieces of history, which are owned by EPE and the Presley family'.
The 350 Elvis artifacts unveiled last April were on loan to the exhibition from the Graceland Archives.
'At the same time, Westgate staff forcibly removed employees from the exhibition and disabled the video feed from security cameras', the EPE statement said.
Waltrip, responding by email on Tuesday, said 'Westgate has great respect for the family of Elvis Presley and that we can come to a resolution over the considerable sums that we invested to bring Elvis to life at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort'.
'We remain hopeful that (the) dispute concerning the sums owed to us can be resolved amicably resolved in the near future without the legacy of Elvis Presley being tarnished'.
© Copyright 2024 by www.elvis.com.au & www.elvispresley.com.au
No part of any article on this site may be re-printed for public display without permission.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.
The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
