New North Texas Entertainment Venue Accused Of Racist Policies
IRVING, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Irving's new entertainment district has been mired in controversy since it opened last year.
Now the Toyota Music Factory is being accused of racist policies at a time when the city is about to hand over 44 million tax dollars to the developer.
The developer of the $200 million complex is demanding its $44 million for completing it.
A group of residents are opposed to it and one of their reasons is a clause in the lease of restaurants and bars that offer music prohibiting too much Tejano, hip hop or rap.
The bars and restaurants of the recently shuddered Big Beat Dallas courtyard had provisions in their lease that said. "A tenant shall not permit two(2) "hip-hop or Tejano"or " rap" music formatted songs to be played back to back."
That discovery in the lease was made recently by a group calling itself Concerned Citizens for Fairness which is calling on the city of Irving to investigate the lease and consider withholding the money the ARK Group is due according its agreement with the city.
"Why in the world and one of the most diverse cities in America for any reason had in their team is venue which you're trying to bring all these to bring all these diverse people to spend their good money," asked Irving resident Anthony Bond.
The ARK Group, which wrote the lease, said in a statement:
"Tenant lease restrictions are included in entertainment center leases to insure varied food, entertainment and music formats throughout the project. Our diversified center welcomes demographics of all kinds without any form of gender or race discrimination."
