Wynn sues former Chinese executive now working for competitor

Wynn Resorts Ltd. is suing a former high-level Chinese marketing executive who’s now working for a competitor in Macau, charging he violated noncompete and confidentiality agreements.

Wynn subsidiary Wynn International Marketing Ltd. filed suit Thursday against Yi Lu, whom it identified as a vice president of international marketing for Macau casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.

Wynn says in the lawsuit that Lu, who’s believed to be living in Shanghai, signed a three-year employment agreement in February 2010 with Wynn International Marketing as vice president for China.

In that job, he was responsible for marketing Wynn Macau and Wynn Las Vegas and bringing patrons from China to those resorts.

The suit says the employment agreement included a “substantial salary” and confidentiality and noncompete provisions.

Wynn claims Lu violated his noncompete when he resigned a few months later, in May 2010, for personal reasons and then signed an agreement to work for Melco Crown four days later in a similar marketing role.

“Lu has also attempted to solicit management-level employees to leave their employment with Wynn Macau to work with Lu. Lu has used and/or disclosed Wynn International Marketing, Wynn Macau and/or Wynn Las Vegas’ confidential information in contravention of the (Wynn employment) agreement,” the suit says.

A request for comment was placed with Melco Crown on the suit, which was filed in Las Vegas in Clark County District Court.

The suit seeks unspecified damages, an injunction blocking Lu from competing with Wynn Macau and Wynn Las Vegas through February 2013 and an order blocking him from soliciting Wynn employees or disclosing Wynn’s confidential information.

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