The Dallas Morning News published a story about a lawsuit involving Cowboys Stadium LP, a limited partnership owned by the family of team owner Jerry Jones, and Gardere clients Jonathan Frankel and Suite Football Dreams (“SFD” – an entity owned by Frankel that was established for the purpose of leasing a suite at AT&T Stadium). In 2009, SFD leased a suite at AT&T Stadium and began making annual lease payments. In 2016, SFD ceased making payments when it became clear that the suite’s view would be obstructed at almost all non-football stadium events, such as concerts and NCAA basketball tournaments.
Instead of accommodating SFD with a suite location with an unobstructed view, Cowboys Stadium filed suit. It now claims it was fraudulently induced by Frankel and SFD into the lease agreement even though it received more than $1.2 million in lease payments over the course of six years.
This is just the latest in a series of similar suits filed by the Cowboys Stadium. The article reports that “Past lease holders complained of promised aid from stadium representatives that never panned out and tepid efforts to get the suites re-leased quickly … One said he was told there would be a theme park, which was never built.”
Frankel and SFD are represented by Gardere attorneys Robert Sarfatis and Rachel Kingrey.
"My clients, both SFD and Mr. Frankel, firmly believe they have done nothing wrong," Kingrey told the Dallas Morning News. "Cowboys Stadium made promises about the value of the suite that it didn't keep. Cowboys Stadium is now attempting to use the judicial system to bully my clients just like it has used the judicial system to bully dozens of other faithful Cowboys fans over the past [eight] years. It is unfortunate that Cowboys Stadium chose this path, but my clients will not be intimidated and look forward to presenting their case to a jury of peers."
The full article can be found here.