After threatening to file a lawsuit against Smokey Joe's over a poker-tournament prize dispute, College senior Lauren Kowtna has decided to settle her grievances with owner Paul Ryan.
Kowtna will accept an iPod Shuffle as her prize for winning the bar's 10-week Texas Holdem tournament last semester and will drop all plans to take legal action.
"I really don't want to worry about this anymore," Kowtna said.
Kowtna had been upset after Ryan failed to award her the iPod she said was promised to the winner of the tournament.
However, Ryan was earlier reported as saying that he only promised the iPod on the condition that the tournament was profitable.
According to Ryan, the free food coupons given away as weekly prizes actually cost him more money than he made off the tournament.
Several months after the tournament ended, Kowtna had still received no word from Ryan.
She claims that when she confronted Ryan on the street near his bar, he told her that he would refuse to buy her the iPod.
Later, he offered a $99 iPod Shuffle on the condition that she apologize for harassing him.
She refused the gesture, insisting that he buy her a more expensive iPod model.
"I didn't like the way the whole thing was handled," Ryan said, noting that he was upset that Kowtna had a lawyer send him a letter threatening legal action.
Kowtna had obtained free legal advice through the University.
When James Higgins -- her lawyer -- first contacted Ryan, several other reasons were given for not awarding the iPod.
Among these reasons were that Budweiser never supplied the money for the contest as promised and that there had never been a written agreement to award the iPod in the first place.
Both parties still retain a deep sense of animosity toward each other over the affair.
"I hope this has opened some people's eyes to the lack of morals and business ethics that [Ryan] possesses," Kowtna said.
Despite her willingness to come to terms with Ryan, Kowtna refused to come and pick up the iPod.
Ryan, likewise, refused to seek Kowtna out.
"If she doesn't take it, one of my kids will," Ryan said.
Although the ultimate fate of the iPod remains uncertain, it is unlikely that Kowtna will return to Smoke's as a happy customer.
"This entire ordeal has been very disappointing to me because I always thought of Smoke's in a favorable way and had a good time when I was there," Kowtna said.
