Friday, July 25, 2003

Schott seat suit settled


Stadium digs didn't suffice

By Sharon Turco
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Marge Schott worked out her differences with Great American Insurance Co., whose chairman, Carl H. Lindner, bought her majority share of the Reds in 1999.

Schott settled a lawsuit she filed in February against Great American Insurance Co. in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. In it, she claimed the company did not honor an agreement for seats and use of a private box in the new Reds stadium.

"The case has been settled by the parties on mutually agreeable terms," said Rob Butcher, a spokesman for the Cincinnati Reds.

Both sides have decided to keep the settlement confidential, he added.

Attorneys for Schott and Great American Insurance Co. did not return calls for comment.

The agreement came during a case management conference this week, but has not yet been entered into the court record. The next court date is Aug. 4.

Schott remains a minority owner of the Reds.

Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, Schott vowed that, "We will see this through to the end, and we'll let the court make the decision, not Major League Baseball, or Mr. Lindner, or Mr. Lindner's counsel." Schott says she was promised a private box and 21 premium seats next to the field.

In the fall she learned her seats in the new stadium are not adjacent to the field, nor was she given a private box. Her seats are in Section 128, Rows 34 to 36, and she must share use of the owner's box, according to her attorney, Mark Wasserman.

E-mail sturco@enquirer.com