Venetian Resort Sues QTLST for Nearly $2M Over Canceled Media Event

The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has filed a lawsuit to seek almost $2 million from California-based QTLST Management and its CEO, Shawn Copeland. The property claims they owe unpaid cancellation fees for a high-profile event that never happened.

Venetian Terminates QTLST Event After Missed Payments

Court records filed this week in Clark County District Court show that QTLST had signed an agreement in May 2024 to host its “QTLST World Media Week” from July 26 to August 2, 2025. The deal reserved more than 1,500 rooms each night for four nights, plus dozens of suites, conference rooms, and boardrooms. The agreement also included a $500,000 minimum for food and drink services.

As part of the payment plan, Copeland’s company had to pay an initial deposit of $229,200 by June 10, 2024, followed by two more payments. The contract made it clear that missing these deadlines would lead to a cancellation fee of about $1.94 million, reported The Las Vegas Review-Journal. Venetian officials say the company did not make any of the required payments.

The lawsuit claims that after the company missed the first deposit, the resort sent a notice in late October 2024 warning that they would cancel the event without payment. When no money came in, the resort ended the contract on November 2, 2024. The resort sent two more letters and invoices asking for payment in November and December, but the company still did not pay.

Venetian Alleges Fraud, Seeks $1.94M From QTLST and CEO Copeland

In its legal filing, The Venetian claims Copeland, whom the complaint calls the “alter ego” of QTLST, has breached their contract, committed fraud, and gotten rich. The resort wants the full $1.94 million cancellation fee, ongoing interest at 18%, payback for legal expenses, and any other compensation the court thinks is due.

Copeland and QTLST Management have not said anything about these claims. When asked, people speaking for The Venetian would not say more, pointing to the ongoing court case.

People who monitor the industry say fights like this show how risky big corporate events can be on the Las Vegas Strip. Deals often involve booking thousands of rooms, fancy suites, and promising to spend a lot on food and drinks. When events do not happen, the fines can add up to millions of dollars in losses.The case is now waiting for a decision in the Clark County District Court. If the court sides with The Venetian, QTLST and Copeland might have to pay a lot more than the original $1.94 million when you add in the interest that has built up and the costs of lawyers.