Sharpened Iron Studios has been ordered to immediately vacate its location on Amarillo College property following a ruling issued Monday by Judge Walt Weaver of the Potter County Court at Law #1. In addition to vacating the premises, the studio was ordered to pay Amarillo College’s attorneys’ fees and court costs, totaling approximately $13,500.
The ruling follows a series of actions taken by Amarillo College earlier this summer regarding its lease agreement with Sharpened Iron Studios, often referred to as SIS. On June 24, the Amarillo College Board of Regents voted to terminate the lease, citing what they described as the studio’s failure to meet its contractual obligations. According to the regents, SIS did not perform under the lease “in accordance with the terms of the lease.”
At the center of the dispute is a provision in the lease requiring Sharpened Iron Studios to complete certain “tenant work.” That work included providing funding of at least $8 million for the installation of a sound stage and related improvements on the property. Amarillo College has maintained that the studio did not meet the required spending threshold by the agreed-upon deadline of May 31, which the college says constituted a violation of the contract.
Amarillo College officials have stated that the original lease agreement with Sharpened Iron Studios began on Oct. 29, 2020. According to Mark White, the college’s executive vice president and general counsel, the agreement was later amended on March 1, 2023. The amendment did not, in the college’s view, alter the requirement that SIS meet the financial commitments tied to construction and development of the facility.
Sharpened Iron Studios has disputed Amarillo College’s claims. In a statement released on June 27, SIS said it was not in violation of the lease agreement. In early July, CEO Sean Doherty said he was unaware that the college’s Board of Regents had voted to terminate the lease until the decision was reported by the media. At that time, Doherty said the company was actively negotiating contracts for three films.
Doherty has also said the lease language specified that the $8 million investment would go toward renovations, construction, and equipment for the existing facility, and that progress had been affected by factors beyond the company’s control. He cited the writers’ strike, which lasted from May through September 2023, as well as the broader impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, both of which he said made it more difficult to secure funding and move projects forward on the original timeline.
The court’s ruling now requires Sharpened Iron Studios to vacate the property, bringing the legal dispute closer to resolution, at least with regard to possession of the site. The order to pay attorneys’ fees and court costs further underscores the financial consequences of the case for the studio.
Amarillo College released a statement following the court order saying:
We appreciate the courts careful consideration of the circumstances surrounding Sharpened Iron’s use of the property. This decision affirms the position Amarillo College has maintained throughout the process. Our focus is now on developing our next facilities master plan to ensure all campus spaces including the downtown campus are used in ways that best support our students and strengthen the community for the future.
Following the court order, the legal team representing Sharpened Iron Studios told High Plains Pundit that they are filing a motion for re-hearing and new trial so the studio does not have to vacate immediately.
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