Following a state Supreme Court decision in her favor, actor Kevin Costner may be obligated to compensate a South Dakota sculptor for her work.
In 1994, the actor commissioned Rapid City sculptor Peggy Detmers to build bronze statues of buffalo and Lakota warriors for a projected
Deadwood resort dubbed "The Dunbar," a tribute to Costner's character's surname in the Best Picture-winning picture "Dances with Wolves."
The sculptures were supposed to be on exhibit at the Dunbar, but the resort project fell through.
Detmers sued Costner in 2008, requesting that a judge order the sale of the sculptures and a part of the revenues.
However, the state Supreme Court decided against her in 2012 because Costner had shifted her focus from the Dunbar project to a tourism attraction called
Tatanka, which is located on some of the same site. The sculptures would either remain on the site or be sold
under the terms of their contractual agreement and the 2012 Supreme Court verdict in Costner's favor.