Youngstown goes to court to oust Steelhounds owner

YOUNGSTOWN — The city filed a legal document today seeking to evict the company that owns the Youngstown SteelHounds from the Chevrolet Centre.

Because the SteelHounds no longer has a league affiliation after being thrown out of the Central Hockey League, the city has the authority to kick the company that owns the team, Blue Line LLC, out of the center. That’s according to a court document filed today by Youngstown.

Blue Line, owned by Herb Washington, filed a lawsuit in December against International Coliseums Co. of Arizona, which managed the center for the city until October 2007. Blue Line filed the suit contending ICC breached its contract with the hockey company.

ICC then asked the court to include the city in the lawsuit.

The city responded today to the lawsuit stating it shouldn’t be involved as per an agreement it had with ICC when the two parties ended its association.

“Is this supposed to be an eviction notice?” Washington said. “This is ridiculous.”

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams said the city had to take this action to protect the center and permit it to move on without Blue Line.

For the complete story, read Saturday’s Vindicator or vindy.com