Rodeo Dallas remains closed as Dallas County Judge Veretta Frazier weighs whether to issue an injunction after complaints from property managers and neighboring businesses alleged the Deep Ellum nightclub is a public nuisance.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, city attorneys padlocked Rodeo on August 5 citing safety issues and lease violations. The club briefly reopened before a judge again ordered it closed under a temporary restraining order. On August 8, property manager Asana Partners petitioned to have the venue declared a nuisance.
Judge Frazier heard more than six hours of testimony on August 14. Attorneys for Asana said Rodeo fostered “well-publicized dangerous and unlawful conduct.” Ben Riemer, representing AP Deep Ellum, argued the bar had “done irreparable harm to the neighborhood” since opening in June 2023, citing overserving, minors inside, repeated noise violations, and lax weapons checks.
Owner Joseph Ybanez defended the business, calling Rodeo a “high energy” venue welcoming a diverse clientele. He pointed to upgrades such as brighter exterior lighting, planned wanding, and new metal detectors. He admitted minors had entered but said they used fake IDs.
Rodeo’s attorneys argued the dispute was less about safety than about Asana’s attempt to shut down a bar and clientele it dislikes.
Council Member Jesse Moreno, who represents Deep Ellum, countered: “This is not about the genre of music or the type of individuals that patronize an establishment. Bottom line, this is about public safety, and we have to address that first and foremost.”
Several witnesses testified about problems tied to Rodeo. Dan Murry, co-owner of Armoury and Ruins, said the club had a pattern of overserving and stressed it is the “moral responsibility” of bar owners to prevent problems before they escalate.
Dallas Police Officer Hannah Moore, injured during a call at Rodeo, said she issued at least six citations to minors. She testified that the venue ran two lines — general admission and “VIP” — and claimed VIP patrons bypassed bag checks and pat downs. Ybanez disputed this, insisting both lines required ID scans.
Detective Andres Sanchez, who works off duty with the Deep Ellum Foundation, testified that police often had to “babysit” Rodeo, with six to eight officers assigned to Elm and Crowdus on weekends. He said crime persisted in Deep Ellum even during Rodeo’s closure but added that the shutdown freed police to spread resources more effectively.
Community leaders also weighed in. Breonny Lee, president of the Deep Ellum Community Association, said she had witnessed fights and drunkenness outside the nightclub. “I think it is important to get Rodeo out of the neighborhood,” she said. “I am super grateful and proud of our community members standing up.”
Crime in Deep Ellum has been a recurring concern. Over the Fourth of July weekend, a shooting at Canton Street and South Good Latimer Expressway killed one and injured several. In response, Dallas police began closing certain streets at 10 p.m. on weekends — two hours earlier than before. Ybanez said he supports the earlier closures.
Judge Frazier has not ruled on whether Rodeo Dallas can reopen under stricter conditions or remain shut under an injunction.