Wednesday, April 16, 2003 Clark, QM may have settled   By Felix Sanchez, Staff writer Suit: Dispute stemmed from talks to build music museum near landmark. Dick Clark and operators of the Queen Mary may have settled a lawsuit filed by Clark that alleged fraud and breach of contract which the television icon said prevented him from building a music-themed museum near the Long Beach landmark. Terms of the possible settlement were not disclosed and Ted Atkinson, an attorney for the defendant, Queens Seaport Development, declined to comment on the case. "We have no authority to talk with the press regarding the case or any other aspect,' Atkinson said. Clark had sought $2.8 million in compensatory damages. Dick Clark Communications filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that Queens Seaport breached an October 1999 agreement to develop and maintain a proposed venue called "Dick Clark's Great American Music Experience.' Clark is famed for his role as former host and producer of "American Bandstand,' as well as for his role as a television series producer and for hosting ABC television's New Year's Eve pro gramming. The $150 million project was proposed by Clark's Delaware- based corporation and would have featured the refurbishment of the adjacent Queen Mary Hotel and the development of nearby shops, restaurants and attractions. Under the terms of the contract, Queens Seaport, which operates the Queen Mary, was to build and run the museum and Clark's production company was to receive $15,000 in monthly consulting fees for the duration of a seven-year contract and a guaranteed minimum payment of $2.6 million. The lawsuit alleges Queens Seaport defaulted on the monthly payments, and that company CEO Joseph Prevratil admitted in July 2002 that his company didn't have the money to build the facility. Prevratil said there is no agreement yet. "What we started back in March were negotiations. Let's put it this way, nothing is final,' Prevratil said. Attorneys for Dick Clark did not immediately return calls for comment. The terms of the settlement, as reported by City News Service, were reached March 24 and will be finalized 60 days from that date. The Queen Mary, which was permanently docked in Long Beach in 1967, is now a hotel and interactive museum. City News Service contributed to this report.