The popular nightclub, Rodeo Dallas, in Deep Ellum, reopened on Wednesday after being locked out by the landlord due to concerns raised by the city.
On Tuesday afternoon, a chain and padlock secured the club’s entrance at the corner of Elm and Crowdus streets, accompanied by a note from landlord Westdale Real Estate Investment and Management stating that the space had been repossessed and the locks changed due to tenant “defaults” under the lease agreement.
The landlord’s action followed a nine-page warning issued a week earlier by the Dallas City Attorney’s Office. That letter, obtained by our partners at The Dallas Morning News, accused Rodeo Dallas of being “a persistent source of concern,” cataloging 16 criminal incidents over the past year, including drug offenses, disorderly conduct, and the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Jonathan Santos outside the club in late March. Police said Santos was killed while trying to break up a fight that began inside the venue.
The city also cited at least 12 code violations found during an inspection on July 11.
A hearing before Justice of the Peace Thomas Jones on Wednesday resulted in a judge issuing a writ of reentry for the owners, allowing Rodeo Dallas to resume operations while the legal dispute continues. Records show the case has been “disposed.”
That evening, the club announced via social media that it would reopen at 8 p.m.
Dallas police are enforcing new street closures after 10 o’clock on Fridays and Saturdays due to rising crime.