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(AP) -- A federal appeals panel has ruled in favor of the city of Atlanta in a dispute over an airport advertising contract.  The case was brought by a millionaire who contends the city awarded the lucrative contract to the "political elite." 

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on Monday found Corey Airport Services did not have the legal ground to file a lawsuit against five Atlanta officials because at the time there was no law against what they did. 

The lawsuit was brought by the company's founder, Billy Corey, who was upset in 2002 when the city awarded the contract to Clear Channel Airports of Georgia. Clear Channel's minority partner was a friend of late Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. 

A separate claim by Corey is still pending in federal court.

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