Texas judge issues injunction, keeping Rodeo Dallas closed amid safety concerns

A Dallas county judge issued a temporary injunction, keeping Rodeo Dallas closed amid safety concerns.

DALLAS — Hours before the two-week extension of a temporary restraining order (TRO) that kept Deep Ellum bar Rodeo Dallas closed was set to expire, a Dallas County judge issued a temporary injunction, keeping the bar closed until trial or further order from the court.

According to the injunction, the judge ruled that Asana Partners – a real estate investment firm that owns a number of properties in Deep Ellum, including at least 12 around the bar – had “established a valid cause of action against Rodeo Ranch, probable right to relief, and imminent harm and irreparable injury.”

This is the latest step in a month-long legal battle between Rodeo Dallas and Asana Partners.

Asana Partners alleged Rodeo Dallas created “unsafe and chaotic conditions” in the heart of the entertainment district, court documents read.

Initially, on Aug. 5, Rodeo Dallas’ own landlord, Westdale Real Estate Investment and Management, chained the bar’s doors shut, leaving behind a sign citing “lease violations” for the closure. 

One day later, the bar reopened after the Crawford, Wishnew, and Lang law firm was hired to represent it. Attorneys filed a writ of re-entry, and the case between those two parties is still ongoing. 

However, a TRO was granted and the bar was closed again two days after this reopening, on August 8, after Asana Partners took Rodeo to court, alleging their tenants would suffer if the bar was open one more day. 

Asana agreed to pay a $250,000 bond to secure it. The money serves as collateral for potential business income lost by Rodeo if they ultimately win the case. Rodeo was forced to stay closed for 14 days. Then, on Aug. 22, the judge extended the TRO for another two weeks while both parties worked to resolve the case. 

That ultimately failed per the temporary injunction handed down by Judge Veretta Frazier on Friday, just hours before the TRO would have expired at midnight, allowing the bar to operate in the wee hours of Saturday morning if it chose to do so. 

Frazier wrote that both Rodeo Dallas and Asana Partners discussed potential solutions during the TRO — including hiring a third-party security firm and drafting a comprehensive safety plan. But Frazier went on to write that the two sides could not agree, and nothing short of closure would prevent “imminent and irreparable harm” to Asana’s tenants. 

In her order, Frazier sided with Asana’s claims that Rodeo Dallas has become a public nuisance. She wrote that the testimony she heard on August 14th during an evidentiary hearing, which focused on the bar overserving customers, serving underage patrons, and failing to control crowds, influenced her decision. 

According to that testimony, those conditions fueled violence inside and outside the bar, including fights, injuries to Dallas police officers, and even a murder involving patrons.

The judge noted large, unruly crowds often gathered outside Rodeo without proper security, creating safety concerns for other businesses. The ruling said the problems forced Asana tenants to close early, reduced property values and rental income, and diverted time and resources from the landlord’s management team.

Frazier concluded Rodeo Dallas “does not operate its premises as a reasonable bar owner would,” and that its conduct interferes with neighbors’ ability to use and enjoy their properties. 

The injunction requires Asana to maintain a $2.25 million bond and keeps Rodeo Dallas shut down indefinitely. A trial on the merits will be scheduled in Dallas County’s 44th District Court in the coming months.  If Asana Partners wins in court, they’ll get their money back. Rodeo Dallas would be paid the money if they win the court battle.

A representative for Asana Partners told WFAA the new bond had been paid on Friday evening. 

“For the safety of all who work, live, and play in Deep Ellum, we are encouraged that Judge Veretta Frazier has handed down a temporary injunction against Rodeo. Asana Partners will continue to advocate for Deep Ellum and take measures required to help protect it and the people who go there,” said Chris Dalton, Managing Director for Asset Management with Asana Partners.

Attorneys for Rodeo have yet to respond to WFAA’s request for comment. 

In that Aug. 14  hearing, Joseph “JD” Ybanez, part-owner and operator of Rodeo Dallas, detailed all of the preventative security measures the bar has taken to help counteract any violence in the area. 

Ybanez said Rodeo employs 12 to 16 security guards on weekends and immediately denies entry to intoxicated patrons. He added that the bar has had no TABC citations for overserving and no official security warnings from the city, though there have been noise violations. Some other recent changes include new lighting outside the building, daily incident reports, and additional staff training.

Rodeo’s attorneys made a compelling argument: “They want you to believe that Rodeo Dallas is the linchpin of crime in Deep Ellum,” attorney Dave Wishnew said. “Closing it will not suddenly erase crime.”

Separately, the bar’s leasing battle against its landlord, Westdale Real Estate Investment and Management, was scheduled to have a hearing in late August, but it was postponed until Sept. 26.