Garth Brooks Sues Hospital Over $500,000 Donation
Gift Allegedly to Name Building After Deceased Mother Who Died of Cancer
Country music star Garth Brooks is suing an Oklahoma hospital for $500,000 over naming rights to one of its buildings.
Brooks made a $500,000 donation to Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Yukon, Okla. in 2005. The lawsuit alleges he was promised a building would be named after his late mother, Colleen Brooks, in exchange for the donation. Brooks’ mother died of cancer in 1999.
The trial began Tuesday in the Rogers County District Court.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Garth alleged he was shown mock designs of the building with his mother’s name on it. It is unclear why the name was never placed on a building.
Hospital officials disagree.
Officials maintain they acted appropriately and that the donation was never in exchange for naming rights; they claim it was simply a general donation to the hospital.
Hospital officials called Brooks’ donation “anonymous and unconditional” in court documents.
It is not clear why the issue could not be resolved without court intervention.
“Unfortunately, talks broke down or did not continue or Mr. Brooks was not satisfied with the options we were offering, and that’s when he decided to sue,” hospital spokesman Hardy Watkins told The Associated Press.
The hospital’s actions left Brooks “stunned and hurt,” the singer said in a statement.
It is unclear how long the court proceedings could last in the naming rights dispute.
Brooks popularity and fame was apparent during jury selection.
Almost all the potential jurors said they had heard of Brooks during the selection process, according to reports. More than a third of the selected jurors said they were fans of Brooks’ music and some said they had attended his concerts.
Brooks’ fame could affect the legal proceedings.
Garth Brooks has released numerous best-selling country albums throughout his career. The singer has taken home numerous awards, including Grammy Awards and American Music Awards.
