Singer Rod Stewart has been ordered to pay $2m plus interest to a Las Vegas casino for cancelling a concert five years ago, after he had throat surgery.
A US District Court jury decided that the singer should return the $2m advance he was given when booked for the concert at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in December 2000.
Stewart informed the casino in November 2000 that he would be unable to perform the concert because he was recovering from throat surgery for thyroid cancer.
According to the singer's lawyer, Skip Miller, Stewart was prepared to reschedule the concert if the casino would allow him to perform on a different date.
Miller also said that Stewart was planning to appeal the verdict based on the grounds that the contract he agreed said that he could reschedule a missed show in the case of illness.
Steve Morris, attorney for the casino, claims that the singer's contract made no provision for him to keep money after not showing up for a concert.
