[img]2501|right|Nadine Lewis||no_popup[/img]In the 36th consecutive closed day for the Culver City Ice Arena, potential lawsuits are in the air.
As the putative next/current lessee of the still-closed Culver City Ice Arena, “the Takahashi family, the figure skating community, the hockey community and the local businesses all have suffered irreparable harm because of the bad conduct of the city, of Alliance Industrial Services and Complete Thermal Services,” attorney Nadine Lewis said Sunday evening.
“It would be my expectation that, no matter what the report from Mike Dillon (City Hall’s latest designated inspector of the rink) says, all three of those entities will shortly be the subjects of litigation shortly.”
Ten days have passed since City Hall’s first mutually trusted examination of the ice rink operation. Mr. Dillon’s findings were anticipated a week ago.
“I think the city probably is dragging their feet under the guise of attorney/client work product,” Ms. Lewis said.
She is confident that the respected Mr. Dillon’s conclusions will parallel those of James D, Wright, the engineering consultant hired by the arena last month “correct” earlier city-sponsored inspections.
“I am happy the city has had another report,” Ms. Lewis said. “I don’t see how Dillon’s report is going to contradict Jim Wright’s report,” which held the arena, in need of repairs, essentially is in Go condition. “I would be hard-pressed to think they are going to be very contradictory, although I don’t want to speculate.”
She labeled the present situation “just more gamesmanship on the part of the city.”
If the Dillon findings are not released soon, Ms. Lewis said, “there may be some things the Takahashi family (her clients) feels they will have to do to protect their interests on this (six-month) lease.”
Even though the Ice Arena has been closed for five weeks (most of that time by City Hall), “the Takahashis’ lease is not void. A landlord cannot terminate a lease unilaterally.”
