ATLANTA (AP) — A Fulton County Superior Court judge has ruled Turner Broadcasting System must pay Texas businessman David McDavid $281 million, just as a jury said last year.

Judge Tom Campbell denied Turner Broadcasting's request to overturn the verdict in favor of McDavid, who accused the company of cheating him out of buying the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights in 2003.

TBS has 30 days to appeal Campbell's ruling to the Georgia Court of Appeals.

The verdict in favor of McDavid by a jury last December and Wednesday's ruling by Campbell does not involve the Hawks' current eight-man ownership group known as Atlanta Spirit.

___

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.