The two firms were among a group of four that won a bid to design the proposed $250-million Sprint Center, a project aimed at rejuvenating Downtown Kansas City. Ellerbe Becket argues in its lawsuit that in anticipation of working together on the Downtown Kansas City arena project, the two firms had a "handshake agreement" not to solicit employees from each other while the project was pending.
Ellerbe Becket alleges HOK began negotiating in secret this year with Ellerbe Becket's managing principal, David Orlowski, and Orlowski convinced the other principals to leave with him. They include Brad Clark, Michael Clay, Stephen Hotujac, and Michael Sabatini, according to the lawsuit filed earlier this month in Jackson County Circuit Court in Missouri.
Ellerbe Becket is claiming damages and seeking an injunction to prevent HOK from soliciting Ellerbe Becket employees for a "reasonable time period." The five former employees also are named in the suit for breach of obligations owed to their employer. The firm is asking the court to rule that HOK's action constitutes unfair business practice.
HOK did not respond to requests for reaction made Friday. However, HOK's senior principal in Kansas City, Rick Martin, recently told the Kansas City Star that his firm "strongly" believes Ellerbe Becket's claims are unfounded.
Rick Lincicome, chief executive of Ellerbe Becket, reiterated his company's commitment to its Kansas City office and to the sports architecture market. "Over the past 15 years we've successfully designed some of the world's most famous venues," Lincicome says. "We will continue to design award-winning sports destinations that provide memorable entertainment and bottom line results for our clients."
It is unclear how the dispute might affect the collaboration between the two firms on the arena project. Ellerbe Becket's Kansas City office also recently lost six engineers to another firm.
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