AP) — The PGA Tour sued Ginn Resorts on Friday, citing breach of contract after the real estate company dropped sponsorship of the Champions Tour Ginn Championship.

Ginn announced on Wednesday it was ending all golf sponsorships immediately, including the Champions Tour event and the LPGA's Ginn Open.

"We regret having to take this legal action, but feel we have no other recourse than to try to recover what had been guaranteed to our members through existing agreements with Ginn Companies," PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said in a statement.

Ginn still had three years remaining on its title sponsorship contract with the Champions Tour and had planned a $2.5 million purse for 2009.

The lawsuit was filed in Florida and was first reported by the Florida Times-Union.

Ginn said late last year that it was dropping the PGA Tour's sur Mer Classic because of the ailing real estate market. But the LPGA event in Reunion, Fla., and the Champions Tour stop in Palm Coast, Fla., were both to be played on Ginn courses.

"We also had no forewarning that Ginn was planning to cancel the 2009 Ginn Championship at Hammock Beach, and only learned of the decision when the company issued a release late Wednesday," Votaw said. "In fact, we had been in discussions with them on possible modifications to the agreement."

Ryan Julison, spokesman for Ginn in Celebration, Fla., said the company does not comment on pending legislation.

Last week, Ginn ended its real estate sales and marketing operations "due to the loss of revenue" that was the primary source of funding the purses and buying television coverage for the LPGA and Champions Tour events.

"We did the best we could, but the economy got the best of us," Robert Gidel, Ginn Development's president and CEO, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Sort of wondered when this kind of stuff was going to start happening. Hard to justify if the company is losing money.
But then again they did sign a contract, they need to be held accountable for that.
Sounds like they bought too much house and now can't pay for it, the irony is amazing.

Later,

Kind of demostrates the house of cards the PGA tour is built on. I think the real reason for the law suit was to prevent others that were close to say well Ginn did it lets jump ship! Rather than face the lawsuit and the publisity most will toe the line.....but just not renew.

I agree, had to happen sooner or later. Should be interesting how it plays out !!!!

Even the sin businesses are hurting.

It's amazing. I wonder where the breakdown was?
Obviously they couldn't work it out so Ginn pulled and PGA sued.
Somewhere a lawyer is laughing his arse off and his wife is planning a trip to Nieman-Marcus.

Later,

They dropped the lpga last fall and nothing happended then. Probably thought the same would happen this time

And how do you know this ?????

No idea on the breakdown,,,,, but I bet your right on that lawyer part !!!!!!

Speaking of Lawyers, wonder where GA is? Hope everything's ok for him.

Later,