David Siegel, a Florida-based timeshare mogul who was behind the construction of the unfinished 90,000 square foot mansion in the town of Windermere is suing filmmakers and the Sundance Film Festival itself over the film ‘The Queen of Versailles’.

The film, which claims that Segel and his wife Jackie have experienced a “rags-to-riches-to-rags story” is set to air at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Utah and despite Siegel’s protestations, a spokeswoman for the festival stated that the organisation maintains its commitment to freedom of expression and is looking forward to showing the film.

Reacting to press releases that have showcased the content of the film, Siegel says that claims his timeshare empire has collapsed and his mansion is in foreclosure are untrue, the with chief executive officer of Orlando-based Westgate Resorts filing a lawsuit in federal court last Tuesday. Despite this, the film looks likely to premiere in Park City – also the site of a Westgate Resort – between the 19th and 29th of January.

A recent court case in the United States has seen several former employees of a now-defunct timeshare resale company plead guilty to defrauding clients who were trying to sell their timeshare properties.

Over the past two months, 13 telemarketing agents from the Fort Lauderdale timeshare company have been presented in front of federal judges as part of a crackdown on timeshare con artists in America.

The admittance of guilt from the former employees saw them charged with mail and wire fraud having collectively helped to con around $5 million in less than a year from unfortunate timeshare owners who were unable to tell that the company were a scam.

The convicted felons are currently awaiting sentencing, with their charges carrying punishment of up to five years imprisonment. The trial represents a concerted effort by federal authorities and industry bodies to crack down on the fraudulent activities of con artists who have somewhat tarnished the name of the timeshare resales industry in recent years.

The well-known Gran Canaria-based luxury hotel chain have pulled off a major coup by coming to a sponsorship arrangement with the Saxo Bank cycling team that three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador currently rides with.

The arrangement will see Contaldo and his team mates visit Anfi in January as part of a gruelling two week training camp, with another intense fortnight of training scheduled for November 2012. The temperate climate and varied landscape of Gran Canaria are said to be perfect for getting Saxo Bank’s elite sportsmen into shape before the forthcoming road racing season.

Once the races get underway in the New Year, the Saxo Bank riders, who with Contador amongst the group are often jousting for places at the front of the pack, will display the Anfi Group logo on their jerseys – giving the luxury holiday destination exposure to a worldwide television audience and the enthusiastic specatotors who turn out to watch championship cyclists across Europe.

Anfi del Mar and Anfi Tauro are two of the best known luxury timeshare resorts in Europe, with the two accounting for a large share of the tourism market in Gran Canaria.