You may not have heard of CedarCreek Systems or BirchStreet Systems—but they’re making headlines in the relatively quiet world of hospitality software. And the reason? A business fallout that’s somehow roped in the Trump Organization, accusations of fake acquisition talks, and a good old-fashioned cease-and-desist threat.
It’s the kind of dispute that wouldn’t normally see the light of day beyond legal blogs and SaaS trade sites. But when one side claims the other is trying to swipe customers like Mar-a-Lago and Trump International from under their nose? Well, that’ll get people’s attention.
Let’s unpack it.
A Clubby Dispute Over Club Software
At the center of the dustup is CedarCreek Systems, a company that specializes in software to help private clubs and resorts manage the unglamorous but essential stuff—like ordering supplies, paying invoices, and tracking inventory. Think procurement for golf clubs and five-star beach resorts.
For more than a decade, CedarCreek had an exclusive agreement to resell and support a platform built by BirchStreet Systems, a bigger player in the space. Everything was fine—until it wasn’t.
In 2023, CedarCreek filed a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court alleging that BirchStreet had violated the 12-year-old reseller agreement in a variety of ways. These include bumping up fees outside of contract terms, failing to deliver promised tech to clients, and even—according to the complaint—reassigning some of CedarCreek’s own long-standing customers without notice.
The legal filings describe these as clear-cut breaches of contract. But things got more interesting as time went on.
The Trump Twist
Among the list of allegedly poached clients includes a very recognizable name: President Donald J. Trump. According to CedarCreek, Trump properties like the iconic Mar-a-Lago were long-time clients managed under their partnership with BirchStreet. Then, in 2024, BirchStreet issued a press release naming a number of Trump properties as its clients.
That move prompted CedarCreek to threaten a cease-and-desist action—basically a formal legal demand telling BirchStreet to back off. It’s a rare thing for a software vendor to call out a partner for trying to claim Trump properties. But for CedarCreek, the issue isn’t politics; it’s precedent.
“It’s about protecting client operations, data security, and the standards our industry relies on,” said CEO Nicholas Wilhelm in the company’s press release.
Still, the fact that some of the most high-profile properties in the U.S. were caught in a tug-of-war between mid-sized tech firms has given the story legs outside of the usual B2B circles.
The “Let’s Pretend to Buy You” Problem
But the Trump name wasn’t the only twist.
CedarCreek also claims that in early 2025, BirchStreet made an offer to acquire the company. For several months, the two sides were in talks. BirchStreet allegedly requested—and received—detailed information about CedarCreek’s clients, financials, and internal structure.
Then BirchStreet walked away.
Shortly after, according to CedarCreek, BirchStreet announced it would begin “assuming” many of CedarCreek’s clients starting July 1. That included, once again, properties in the Trump portfolio.
From CedarCreek’s perspective, the acquisition talks were never sincere. They describe it as a tactic to extract competitive intelligence and weaken the company. Whether the court agrees is yet to be seen—but the phrase “sham acquisition” appears prominently in CedarCreek’s public materials.
It’s a juicy accusation, even in an industry that doesn’t often get juicy. Did one company fake interest in buying another just to get a look at their books? If true, it raises some thorny questions about business ethics—and how far a larger vendor will go to cut out a middleman.
Not Exactly a Precedent-Setting Case… But Still a Good Story
This isn’t a billion-dollar antitrust fight. No one’s headed to the Supreme Court. But in its own quiet way, it’s the kind of story that captures what happens when big-money clients (and high-profile names) end up entangled in contract disputes, post-acquisition turbulence, and bruised business relationships.
CedarCreek estimates damages at more than $30 million. BirchStreet hasn’t responded publicly to the most recent allegations. The next court date is set for September 18, 2025.
In the meantime, CedarCreek says it continues to support mutual clients, even as the relationship with BirchStreet appears to be permanently fractured. Its leadership blames the fallout on what changed after BirchStreet was acquired by Parthenon Capital in 2021—pointing to the ReactorNet acquisition in 2024 and subsequent staffing cuts as signs that the company’s focus shifted from partnership to pure growth mode.
A Reminder: Small Tech Can Get Messy Too
The lesson here isn’t just about contracts or reseller protections—though those are certainly part of it. It’s that even in niche sectors like hospitality procurement software, the same human elements apply: ambition, opportunism, and the occasional dramatic accusation.
And sometimes, those elements play out with Mar-a-Lago awkwardly sitting in the background.
It’s not a front-page scandal, but it is an oddly compelling business dispute—one that reminds us that behind the scenes of even the most buttoned-up B2B worlds, there’s always a little bit of drama.
