By Michael Armstrong

Homer Independent Press

Update: The Homer Chamber of Commerce can continue to distribute 50,000 2026 visitor guides while a lawsuit against it alleging unauthorized use of a Land’s End Resort photograph in an ad proceeds. At a hearing held March 26 with Homer Superior Court Judge Bride Seifert, the judge granted a continuance of a hearing on a preliminary injunction sought by Land’s End Resort to stop distribution of the visitor guides.

Seifert continued the hearing to April 9 at the Homer Courthouse. Rebecca Hozubin, the lawyer for one of the co-defendants, Jim Anderson, had filed a motion on March 25 to continue the March 26 hearing because she only had been retained as counsel that day.



Land’s End co-owner Jon Faulkner has sued the Homer Chamber of Commerce and a major new player in the local tourism scene, Lakeshore Lodging, to block distribution of the chamber’s new 2026 visitor guide.

At issue is unauthorized use of an “iconic” photograph of the Land’s End condominiums in a Lakeshore Lodging advertisement in the guide. Also named in the lawsuit is Lakeshore general manager Jim Anderson, who is the chamber’s vice president and was runner-up in the most recent city mayoral election. 

The 92-page visitor guide is a major part of the chamber’s annual effort to promote Homer tourism. This year’s new guide arrived last week, with a print run of 50,000 copies. 

On March 16, Faulkner filed his lawsuit that included a motion for an injunction to block distribution of the new guide, arguing it will cause “incalculable, irreparable harm and injury to plaintiff’s business interests.” A hearing on the lawsuit was held Thursday, March 26, at the Homer Courthouse, in front of Superior Court Judge Bride Seifert.

In his lawsuit, Faulkner alleges  that Anderson directed a graphic artist to create an ad for the chamber visitors guide using a 20-year-old photograph owned and used widely by Land’s End. That image shows a row of lodges on the beach with a sailboat passing on Kachemak Bay and a backdrop of the Kenai Mountains. A distinctive puff of clouds is above the mountains. Jon Faulkner said an employee of Land’s End took the photograph. Faulkner characterized his lawsuit as a defense of his intellectual property and its trademark.

Land’s End Resort also has an ad in the 2026 visitor guide, a two-page spread that includes the photo. The Lakeshore Lodging ad uses the entire photo in its full-page ad. It appears to have been digitally manipulated by straightening the photo and cropping out some buildings on the left. It has the same distinct sailboat and clouds.

“I think the action shows an incredible lack of originality and sensitivity to the hard work of others, and it was done intentionally, and it crosses the line that this entire community embraces ethically and legally,” Faulkner said in an interview Monday.

Faulkner said to his knowledge the Homer Chamber of Commerce did not have a liability clause in its advertising contract where the advertiser affirms it owns or has permission to use images in its ad.

The plaintiff, Land’s End Acquisition Corporation, is the corporate name of Land’s End Resort, the historic hotel complex at the end of the Homer Spit. Jon and Sara Faulkner are the primary shareholders and have owned the resort since 1988. One of the few Spit buildings to survive the 1964 earthquake, the first buildings of Land’s End date from 1958. 

Construction of the 22 condo units known as Land’s End Lodges began in 2001. Land’s End still owns two units, Faulkner said, and manages some of the others under contracts with private owners.

Lakeshore Lodging separately owns and manages several of the condos. Lakeshore Lodging also has short-term rental units on the south side of Beluga Lake along Lakeshore Drive. Jim Anderson works as general manager for Lakeshore Lodging and had previously worked for Land’s End until August 2024. 

A complex that includes hotel rooms, a conference center, a bar and restaurant, Land’s End has long been the biggest resort operation in Homer. The late Sen. Ted Stevens once held a press conference there, and this Saturday the Republican Party holds its District 6 convention in the Land’s End Quarterdeck. It’s been the site of weddings, memorials and high school graduations.

But in going up against Lakeshore Lodging, Faulkner is taking on a big national corporation, based in Kansas, with holdings in aviation, real estate and high-end hospitality. For several years, Freeman Holdings Group has been buying up Homer properties under the name of Akre Holdings. Its properties include Emerald Air and the former Homer News building on Landings Street. 

The hospitality page on the Freeman Holdings Group  website features a listing for Lakeshore Lodging and an image of the Land’s End Lodges with a sailboat on the bay that looks similar to the photo Faulkner alleges was used without permission.

Faulkner said it would have been legitimate for Lakeshore Lodging to take its own photograph of the Land’s End Lodges. What he objects to is their alleged intent to deceive by using his company’s photograph.

Unauthorized use of intellectual property constitutes copyright infringement. Under U.S. Copyright law, violating copyright can result in statutory damages of between $750 and $30,000, but if the owner proves willful violation, damages up to $150,000. 

In its lawsuit, Land’s End Acquisition Corporation alleges not only copyright infringement, but unfair trade practices. Faulkner said the image in question is part of a long-term marketing campaign to develop a trademark and image.

“Sara and I have spent a lifetime and our entire earnings to build a business we can be proud of, and the business has a unique brand, which is trademarked federally,” he said. “We own the photograph that we’ve used to build this brand, and this image in particular has been in use continuously for 20 years to promote the brand and the products and services.”

Faulkner said Land’s End Acquisition Corporation had previously managed Akre’s Land’s End Lodging units, but ended its contract a year ago.

Chamber Executive Director Brad Anderson declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying he could not speak about pending litigation.

He did comment on the visitors guide itself. In an email, he wrote, “The guide has been a mainstay of Homer’s tourism promotion for decades, and thousands of people rely on it. It is honestly one of the best examples of ‘cooperative economic development,’ with businesses working together to create an affordable way to showcase all that Homer has to offer.”

Lakeshore Lodging General Manager Jim Anderson also declined to comment. Anderson noted he’s in a unique situation because he’s being sued individually, as an employee, and he also is a vice-president of the Homer Chamber of Commerce.

Land’s End Acquisition Corporation seeks punitive damages and actual damages, at an amount to be determined at trial of at least $100,000. 

Despite the lawsuit, the chamber has been distributing the guides with an aerial photograph of the Spit on the cover. At Monday’s Homer City Council meeting, Visitor Center Director Jan Knutson introduced the new guide to the council. Guides have been seen at Safeway and other venues. The 2025 edition is in racks outside the visitor center, but last Friday a volunteer there handed out copies of the 2026 guide.