Gateway Convention Center and exhibitor sued over visitor's trip on display

A Caseyville woman says the owner of a construction company and the owners and operators of an event center are to blame after she allegedly tripped over one of the displays during a home show.

Betty Kay Armes filed a lawsuit Sept. 23 in Madison County Circuit Court against Keith Griffith, individually and as the owner of Bricks-n-Stones, Creative Concrete Professionals Inc., also doing business as Bricks-n-Stones. American Consumer Shows LLC, Collinsville Metropolitan Exposition Auditorium and Office Building Authority, individually and as the owner of Gateway Conference Center, are also named as defendants.

Armes says she attended a home show at Collinsville's Gateway Conference Center in September 2009. As she was walking through the center of the show, Armes says she tripped on a display set up by Griffith and fell. Armes alleges the riser of the display was hidden by poor lighting and unmarked.

Armes accuses Griffith, his companies, the event coordinator and the Gateway Center of negligence for allegedly failing to keep visitors safe while at the event center and for failing to warn them of any potential dangers. She seeks more than $350,000 in damages for medical expenses, loss of income and court costs.

Attorneys D. Jeffrey Ezra and Sarah D. Smith of Collinsville are representing Armes.

Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 11-L-961