In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Cleveland Synergy Foundation claims the City of Cleveland and the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) conspired to knock out Synergy from acting as host of Gay Games 2014.

On July 6, the FGG severed its relationship with Synergy, a non-profit group formed specifically to attract the Olympic-style event to Cleveland.

Kelly Stevens, an FGG spokesman, told Cleveland daily the Cleveland Plain Dealer that it revoked Synergy's license to host the games because it had failed to meet certain reporting requirements and had worked on events other than the Gay Games. Stevens also said the group remains committed to holding the event in Cleveland.

But, according to documents filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, the FGG would consider moving the 2014 games to runner-up city Washington, D.C. “if Cleveland fails to meet a set of conditions by Dec. 15, including the creation of a new gay-run organization to produce the games.”

The city, however, insists it will meet the deadline.

The lawsuit claims that the FGG and the city conspired to lock out Synergy by cutting off funds to the organization. Those funds were being distributed to Synergy under an Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) approved by City Council. But Synergy claims the city shifted its reporting requirements and eventually denied any further disbursements in July.

Also listed in the lawsuit are the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission (GCSC) and Valarie McCall, chief of government affairs for Mayor Frank Jackson.

The FGG did not recognize Synergy at the eighth iteration of the games held last month in Cologne, Germany. Instead, a delegation that included former Synergy board member McCall, representatives from the GCSC and a second former Synergy board member, Jon Pinney, were recognized by the organization.

Synergy claims it was harmed by the FGG's “intentional procurement of the City of Cleveland's breach of the UDAG Contract,” which, it says, was done “with actual malice and bad faith.”

The group is asking the court to force the FGG to reinstate it as the host of the games.

“Synergy desires that this Court determine the parties' rights and responsibilities under the terms of the Licensing Agreement and declare that the Licensing Agreement remains in effect and that Synergy remains the exclusive 'Host' of the 2014 Gay Games IX.”

The city has said it will “aggressively” defend itself in court.