Known everywhere as ‘The World’s Largest Honky Tonk”, this iconic Texas venue is at risk of being sold to the highest bidder following a heated lawsuit that pits family, friends, and owners of the beloved establishment against each other.
In a report from NBC DFW Channel 5, the heated legal battle has pinned a variety of people against one another – including family members who own parts of the company and have differing views on its future.
The president of Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, Concho Minick, is claiming in this new lawsuit that other investors and part-owners of the business tried to force him out of the company and fire him. He alleges that they changed the locks and shuffled millions of dollars around. This happened, he says, after those same people falsely accused him of fluffing up financial reports so that he could earn more money.
In Minick’s lawsuit, it claims that his father, Billy Minick, is part of the group that tried to oust him over differing opinions on the future of the honky tonk. The elder Minick previously ran Billy Bob’s before his son became president.
A new countersuit filed by Minick’s father and other investors accused Concho Minick of improper management for personal gain and is demanding that he return salaries and bonuses earned throughout 2016 and 2017.
Both sides of the legal battle have asked a judge to appoint a receiver to run the business until all the matters are settled, however, the original lawsuit has requested that if they can’t clear up their differences that the honky tonk be put up for auction.
If Billy Bob’s Texas does end up on the auction block, that could spell an entirely different future for the iconic venue – because the new owner could do whatever they wished with it.
This massive country music venue has been a staple in the industry for more than 35 years and has hosted some of the biggest names in country music like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, The Gatlin Brothers, and many, many more.
Watch NBC DFW Channel 5’s full report on the legal battle below and let us know what you think in the comments.