Theater hires attorney

SANDUSKY — A Cleveland law firm announced on Tuesday morning that it is representing the Sandusky State Theatre regarding the "ongoing legal aspects of its renovation and construction process." Swansinger The firm — Buckingham, Dolittle and Burroughs — sent a news release to the Register in response to questions the newspaper sent to theater officials starting last week, asking about cost overruns and the decision to fire the project's general contractor. "We are assisting (the theater's board) in gathering and evaluating a vast amount of information related to the project and working diligently with other project players to address complexities as the project moves forward," the release states. It was sent by attorney John Swansinger this morning after a news update about the theater's board refusing to release information about why the general contractor was fired and why there's been a work stoppage at the theater. Swansinger is listed as the firm's partner in charge and as a litigator in the real estate and construction field, according to the firm's website. The firm's retainer and the hourly rate it will charge the theater board was not disclosed. In a 2022 USA Today news article, it was reported that the firm charged Baughman Township, Ohio, trustees a $10,000 retainer and an hourly rate of $735 for services in a legal dispute the township had with a fire department. It's also not clear when the firm was hired or how long theater board members have known about the cost overruns. Nobody from the theater or the board has disputed the Register's reporting or made any information available to the public. Swansinger was asked if he would be addressing the questions about how many change orders have been done, how over budget the project is or how long the disputes will delay the theater's grand reopening, among others. He replied Tuesday afternoon. "We will not be answering questions related to legal proceedings," he wrote in a follow-up email to the Register. The Register has reported that change orders could result in up to $4 million or more in cost overruns and it could be a year before the $30 million project is finished. This story has been adjusted to add information about the law firm's retainer and hourly rate and to add a response the attorney sent to questions.