Georgia Appeals Court ruling in Turner vs. McDavid case expected next year

The Georgia Court of Appeals could issue a ruling as early as February in Turner Broadcasting System’s appeal of a $281 million jury verdict it was ordered to pay last year to a Texas businessman. That businessman, David McDavid, a Texas car dealer, accused the media giant of cheating him out of a deal to buy the Hawks, the Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights. McDavid signed a letter of intent to buy the professional teams and arena operating rights from Atlanta-based Turner in 2003. The letter, granting exclusive negotiating rights, expired, but the parties continued to talk. Turner announced in the fall of that year its plans to sell the teams to an eight-man investor group -- Atlanta Spirit. McDavid then filed a $450 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against the company.