Veteran’s lawsuit claims YMCA reneged on partnership for obstacle course at Newport branch
A Gulf War veteran who developed an obstacle course for the Newport-Mesa Family YMCA alleges in a lawsuit that the organization failed to pay him for his services and reneged on their partnership.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 14 in Orange County Superior Court, alleges that the YMCA of Orange County and Ron Erickson, executive director of the organization’s Newport-Mesa branch in Newport Beach, pushed Quentin Pullen out of a project he researched and developed to build a military-style obstacle course called The PlayPen.
The course later became a revenue source for the organization, the lawsuit says.
Erickson and the YMCA of Orange County did not respond to requests for comment.
Pullen, a veteran of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, pitched a project to the YMCA of Orange County in June 2013 to raise money to develop an unused dirt lot behind the Newport-Mesa location at 2300 University Drive into an outdoor fitness facility. In return, the lawsuit claims, Pullen would be recognized as an owner.
Pullen raised $30,900 and thousands of dollars worth of materials and supplies for the effort, the suit says. He also designed the course, conducted research, consulted with land developers and promoted and marketed The PlayPen, according to the suit.
When the course opened in November 2014, it significantly increased the YMCA’s revenue, the lawsuit claims. Users are charged an extra fee for some fitness programs at the course.
According to the lawsuit, Pullen continued developing programs for the course after it opened.
Soon after that, the complaint alleges, the YMCA of Orange County began “seizing unilateral control of the business.”
According to the lawsuit, the YMCA “failed to pay” Pullen and “refused to agree to recognize [his] ownership in the partnership.”
The suit alleges the organization had misrepresented its intentions to Pullen so he would complete the project to the YMCA’s benefit.
When Pullen suffered a back injury in March this year, the lawsuit says, the YMCA of Orange County initially approved medical leave for him and later denied it. According to the suit, the organization then took his inability to return to work as a “formal resignation.”
In April, according to the lawsuit, the YMCA said it had “never promised [Pullen] anything” in return for the obstacle course and considered it a donation.
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