Lightman vents as his relationship with Bucky Buchanan’s offspring gets dicey

By John Katsilometes

Saturday, May 22, 2010 | 5:38 p.m.

Chip Lightman let off a little steam today via Twitter, taking after Jack Buchanan, one of the sons of the late James "Bucky" Buchanan.

Lightman and Buchanan, one of the city's truly colorful characters and acclaimed attorneys, were business partners in the classic Vegas haunt Coachman's Inn bar and restaurant, located on Eastern Avenue near Desert Inn Road. They purchased the business in 2006 and operated it in professional harmony for more than three years. That changed after Buchanan died of a heart attack in November. Lightman fell into legal partnership in the restaurant with Buchanan's sons, Jack and J.J. Buchanan (Lightman was turning the business over to Bucky Buchanan at the time of Buchanan's death). Jack and J.J. are the sons of Bucky Buchanan and his second wife, Lynn.

Lightman has since become frustrated at his attempts to do business with the Buchanans — specifically Jack, also an attorney, who Lightman says has ignored the business. As a result, Lightman has hired his own prominent Las Vegas attorney, Steve Stein, to attempt to reach Jack Buchanan and sort out legal issues between the two sides, including the status of the business's gaming license, coming up for renewal.

"Jack has not done a thing regarding Coachman since (his) dad's passing. I hired lawyer Steve Stein to get his attention," reads one tweet from Lightman. Another: "I hope the gaming control board will step in and show young punk Jack Buchanan that he must obey the law."

Lightman managed the late Danny Gans, is the Las Vegas manager of Donny and Marie Osmond, and also was instrumental in luring Garth Brooks to Encore Theater. He is running Coachman's at the moment. Safe to say none of this is what Lightman had in mind after the death of his friend and business partner.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.