BATON ROUGE (AP) — A Texas company that built the frame for L’Auberge Baton Rouge has sued the casino’s parent company and two executives for $1.9 million.

In a lawsuit filed in Livingston, Texas, Postel Industries Inc. claims money budgeted by Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. to pay Postel was kept or used for other purposes. The lawsuit names as defendants the company along with Chief Executive Officer Anthony Sanfilippo and Senior Vice President of Construction Kirk England.

Postel President Mike Postel tells The Advocate (http://bit.ly/XNreVQ) the company fabricated the steel at its yard in Livingston and put up the frame under a $7.9 million contract.

Postel said Pinnacle stopped payments August 2012 and no one from Pinnacle will talk to Postel.

“They’re not paying us, and they don’t want to pay us,” Postel said. “We’re going after them.”

The casino opened in September.

Pinnacle spokeswoman Kerry Anderson said the company does not comment on pending litigation.

Postel Industries is one of several companies that have filed liens against L’Auberge Casino and Hotel Baton Rouge over the past few months. Postel’s lien, which totals $2.6 million, is the largest. The liens were filed in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Postel seeks $1.7 million for the cost of the steel and its services and $210,000 for attorney fees and court costs.

(mgnonline.com)