Legoland California Inc., operator of the family theme park in Carlsbad, has sued Ruby’s Diner Inc. of Newport Beach, claiming the restaurant chain owes the theme park several payments based on a 1999 sponsorship contract.
According to the lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court, Ruby’s Diner and Legoland entered a sponsorship agreement in January 1999. Ruby’s Dinner stopped making sponsorship payments in August 1999, the suit alleges, and hasn’t paid through April 2000. Legoland is asking Ruby’s Diner to pay the $315,833 balance.
As part of the sponsorship pact, Ruby’s Diner put its name on The Ruby’s Cool Club, a snack stand and playhouse for children that was built on a Lego replica of the Huntington Beach pier. About a month ago, Legoland renamed the club the Lego Maniac House Club.
The lawsuit, filed July 18, does not specify conditions of the agreement with Ruby’s Diner other than a payment plan. The restaurant is one of several corporate sponsors at the 128-acre theme park, including Polaroid Corp., Coca-Cola Co. and McKesson Water Products Co.’s Sparkletts. Polaroid, for one, provides free loaner cameras to visitors who purchase instant film inside the park.
A Ruby’s spokeswoman said the two companies are in negotiation and Ruby’s plans to make an announcement this week but otherwise declined to comment on the suit. Representatives of Legoland declined to comment.
Legoland California opened 16 months ago and features 40 hands-on attractions, family rides, shows, restaurants and Lego models such as castles and animals built from an estimated 30 million Lego bricks. The park attracts approximately 1.4 million guests annually and is part of Global Family Attractions, a division of Denmark’s LEGO Co.
