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SAIT hit with lawsuit over allegations it botched production design of golf course invention

At The Turn Inc. claims the school failed to properly develop a solar-powered food and beverage ordering system

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The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology is facing a massive lawsuit over allegations the school botched production design of a solar-powered golf course invention.

At The Turn Inc. and owner Gord Nelson are seeking $34 million in damages from SAIT, claiming it failed to properly develop his solar-powered food and beverage ordering system.

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“The plaintiffs’ invention is an innovative and unique food and beverage ordering system designed to be placed on the ninth tee box of golf courses,” the lawsuit, filed in Calgary Court of King’s Bench, says.

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“This would enable golfers to order food and beverages from the golf course prior to beginning the ninth hole such that the food and beverages would be ready for the golfers when they complete the ninth hole.”

The claim says Nelson and At The Turn had a number of positive meetings with “dozens of golf courses and golf course operators in Canada and the United States regarding the plaintiff’s invention.”

“These golf courses were given to understand that the plaintiff’s invention should be ready to be installed on their golf courses on or about 2021 or 2022.”

It says SAIT was paid $100,000 by Innovates Alberta to complete the design work.

“The defendant, despite having three years to design a production version of the invention, completely and utterly misdesigned the invention or designed (it) in such a way that it will not operate on golf courses as originally intended.”

The claim states that while the device was to be solar powered, SAIT came back with a version working on a fixed power source “which the plaintiffs made very clear to the defendant that it was not a practical solution to the design.”

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SAIT failed to design a proper prototype “and as such it could not be built and installed on golf courses and operated by golf courses in the manner designed and intended by the plaintiffs.”

The claim says At The Turn has lost $2 million in revenue from leasing and advertising opportunities in the past two years and it estimated it will take another three years to get the product up and running.

“As a result of the gross negligence, carelessness, ineptitude and lack of attention by the defendant and its staff to this project, the plaintiff has suffered irreputable harm to its reputation with several dozen golf courses in Canada and the United States as well as with the golfing industry in general,” it says.

“By the time the plaintiff can bring its invention to market, the plaintiff believes that they will have extreme difficulty persuading these same golf courses to permit the invention to be installed.”

Along with lost leasing opportunities, At The Turn had been negotiating with a large number of advertisers “with respect to agreeing to advertise their goods and services on the plaintiff’s unit.”

The claim estimates lost revenue from leasing and advertising over the next five years of $32 million.

A statement of defence disputing the unproven allegations has not been filed.

KMartin@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @KMartinCourts

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