In a shocking turn of events, a class action lawsuit accusing several Atlantic City hotels of rate-fixing has been dismissed by a federal judge. The lawsuit, which was filed by a group of disgruntled customers, alleged that the hotels conspired to fix room rates at artificially high levels in order to maximize profits. However, Judge Sarah Henderson ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the plaintiffs’ claims.
The lawsuit had targeted some of the largest and most well-known hotels in Atlantic City, including the Borgata, Caesars, and Harrah’s. The plaintiffs claimed that the hotels had engaged in a coordinated effort to keep room rates high, even during times when demand was low. They also alleged that the hotels had used tactics such as price matching and blackout dates to prevent customers from finding lower rates elsewhere.
However, Judge Henderson found that the evidence presented by the plaintiffs was not sufficient to prove that the hotels had engaged in illegal price-fixing. She noted that while the hotels may have engaged in competitive pricing practices, there was no evidence to suggest that they had colluded to fix prices. In her ruling, Judge Henderson stated that the plaintiffs had failed to show that the hotels had engaged in any sort of anticompetitive behavior.
The dismissal of the lawsuit comes as a blow to the plaintiffs, who had hoped to hold the hotels accountable for what they believed to be unfair pricing practices. Many of the plaintiffs had reported paying exorbitant prices for hotel rooms during peak times, and felt that they had been taken advantage of by the hotels. The lawsuit had sought damages for the plaintiffs, as well as injunctive relief to prevent the hotels from engaging in similar practices in the future.
In response to the dismissal of the lawsuit, representatives for the hotels issued statements expressing their satisfaction with the outcome. They maintained that they had always operated in compliance with all laws and regulations, and denied any wrongdoing. The hotels also emphasized their commitment to providing customers with competitive rates and high-quality service.
Despite the dismissal of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs have not ruled out the possibility of pursuing further legal action. Their attorney indicated that they are considering appealing the judge’s decision, or pursuing alternative legal avenues in order to seek justice for the alleged rate-fixing practices. In the meantime, the hotels in Atlantic City can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they have been cleared of any wrongdoing in this case.