WARREN CO. CONVENTION BUREAU FILES COVID-19 SUIT
The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau claims in a new lawsuit that the state’s COVID-19 response has cost it millions and asked a judge to set aside state orders so it can hold tournaments at the new Warren County Sports Park at Union Village.
A lawsuit, filed Thursday in Warren County Common Pleas Court, also asks Judge Tim Tepe to award WCCVB unspecified monetary damages and consolidate the case with a similar one pending in Tepe’s court against state and county health officials and filed by the Kingdom Sports Center in Franklin, Southwestern Ohio Basketball in Fairfield and Elite Ohio Players Basketball in West Chester Twp.
Warren County planned to pay down the debt on the recently opened $15 million complex, more than $80,000 a month, with hotel tax paid by visitors, including those expected for tournaments at the complex, west of Lebanon.
In addition, WCCVB planned to bring in $65 million in economic impact from big tournaments held at the complex, including a soccer tournament expected to bring in $14 million it claims it lost due to the state orders designed to prevent exposure to and the spread of the new coronavirus.
As a result, WCCVB may not be able to make the debt payments “potentially losing the ability to manage that facility,” according to the lawsuit filed by lawyer Rob Fischer.
Fischer is also a judge in Warren County Court, where misdemeanors and small claims are filed.
Like the common-pleas lawsuit it could be consolidated with, and ones filed on behalf of amusement parks, water parks, day-care centers and Montessori schools across Ohio, the WCCVB claim
proceeds from the candles will be donated to the Oregon District Business Association. challenges the state authority and criticizes the orders for leaving unanswered questions inhibiting their ability to do business.
Facing Project. The Dayton “WCCVB cannot determine International Peace from the Director’s Orders Museum and The Facing which competitions and tournaments Project partnered to collect are permitted, and stories about gun violence in which competitions and tournaments the community. Some stories are prohibited as from the Aug. 4 tragedy will there are not sufficient definitions be featured in a radio broadcast for non-contact, limited available on the Dayton contact and contact sports,” International Peace Museum according to an affidavit filed website Aug. 4. For more with the lawsuit. “With the information, visit http://gunviolence.facingproject.com/ current Director’s Orders, WCCVB cannot effectively or http://daytonpeacemuseum.org 3. More information is available at daytonohio.gov/DaytonShines. plan for the remaining competitions and tournaments.”
No hearings had been scheduled in the WCCVB lawsuit Friday.
A preliminary injunction hearing is set for Aug. 3 in Tepe’s court in the lawsuit filed by the youth sports organizations and Kingdom Center. On Thursday, the state filed a motion to change venue for the lawsuit on behalf of the day-care centers.
The Warren County lawsuit on behalf of water and amusement parks was dismissed.
Contact this reporter at 513490-6140 or email larry. budd@coxinc.com.