The future of Taupo's iconic Huka Lodge is up in the air, after the Supreme Court ruled against its current owner after a 20-year legal battle.
The court has ruled that Alex van Heeren must pay his former business partner Michael Kidd at least $35 million.
Huka Lodge is one of the world's top luxury resorts, where guests' bills can approach $7000 a night.
But a private investigator who's locked horns with Mr van Heeren says the Supreme Court ruling means its future is far from certain.
Mr Kidd hired Brian Cooper 22 years ago to investigate Mr van Heeren, but when Mr Cooper arrived in New Zealand he soon found he was the one being arrested, charged with extortion and remanded in jail for six weeks.
A judge threw out that case six months later.
