Opening gambits: Picabo v. Sun Valley Co.
By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer
Negotiations are quietly surfacing in an effort to settle a lawsuit filed
by Picabo Street against Sun Valley Co. for using her name in an advertising campaign.
According to Sun Valley Co. general manager Wally Huffman in a Monday
telephone conversation, "an anonymous third party" is spearheading the delicate
talks.
A "concept" on the table would have the company making a
donation to the U.S. Ski Team in exchange for Street dropping the litigation, Huffman
said.
"There’s been very informal discussions," Huffman said.
"It may lead to substantive discussions."
Huffman said he knew about the proposal when it was made a few weeks ago.
Neither Street’s lawyers nor Sun Valley Co. or Sun Valley Co.’s
lawyers were directly involved in the preliminary talks, Huffman said.
He said Sun Valley Co.’s goal is to arrive at an "amicable"
settlement.
On Jan. 7, Street’s lawsuit was expanded to include Sinclair Oil, as
well as Sun Valley Co. as defendants.
Salt Lake City-based Sinclair Oil is Sun Valley Co.’s parent and a
multi-billion dollar corporation headed by Sun Valley Co.’s owner, Earl Holding.
Street is suing Sun Valley Co. and Sinclair Oil for "blatant,
willful…wanton and unauthorized use" of her name in its advertising, according
to the lawsuit, which was first filed in Boise on Dec. 16.
The lawsuit asks that Sun Valley Co. be ordered to stop using
Street’s name in its promotions and seeks in damages all profits from the resort
since July 1999.
Street’s lawyers were not immediately available for comment.
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