Former Sawmill investors sue

HURON TWP. — Several former investors of Sawmill Creek Lodge and Resort claim the managing partner cut them out of the profits from the sale to Cedar Fair. Greg Hill controlled the multiple companies — some owned entirely by Hill and others with partners — that made up the resort on Cleveland Road. Cedar Fair purchased Sawmill Creek for about $13.5 million in 2019. But a lawsuit filed against Hill in the Erie County Common Pleas Court by his former partners claims he, alone, received profits from the sale. "Miraculously, all of the money went to the companies 100% owned by Greg Hill, leaving his partners with nothing," the partners' attorney Dennis Murray, Jr. wrote in the civil complaint. "It was self-dealing and breach of fiduciary duty; it was unfair to his partners who did not find out until after all the money was gone," The lawsuit also names the attorneys and accountants hired to represent all of the Sawmill Creek entities as defendants for allegedly failing to ensure all of their clients received fair compensation. It claims the entities owned solely by Hill — the resort, golf course and marina — received exaggerated valuations, which allowed for money to be moved from the partnership and lodge into Hill's businesses. The complaint details some of the financial situations before the sale. According to the complaint, the marina only brought in about $330,000 in revenue in 2017, the resort had no assets and owed $350,000 in bank debt, and the golf course normally operated at a loss. Murray said that after the partnership paid its debts, the partners didn't see any of the money allocated to them in the sale. He requested a trial to recover damages, considerably more significant than $25,000, with a jury deciding the exact amount. Hill said he only had nice things to say about his partners from Sawmill Creek and that, although they want to see profits, most of the money from the sale went to pay off debts. "Hopefully, this will all be resolved soon," Hill said.