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The developer of the Toyota Music Factory in Irving has now been accused of racism just months after Big Beat Dallas’ departure from the strained development.
The allegations stem from ARK Group’s allegedly discriminatory music clause in its lease agreements that states, “A tenant shall not permit two (2) ‘hip-hop or Tejano’ or ‘rap’ music formatted songs to be played back to back,” reports the North Dallas Gazette. The bars that comprised sprawling dining venue Big Beat Dallas were beholden to this lease provision, and when the fledgling project shuttered, it cited “landlord interference” as one of the causes, along with the “inability to operate with any efficiency” including issues with parking.
Concerned Citizens for Fairness, a local activist group, brought the whitewashing lease terms to light and has since started a petition discouraging the City of Irving from awarding the developer any more of the agreed upon $44 million to finish the Irving Music Factory project, which has been mired in lawsuits and shady business practices since its inception.
Another Irving-based group, The Irving Taxpayers Matter, actually sued the city itself last month to prevent it from paying out the $44 million. Stay tuned as this story unfolds.
