KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A federal lawsuit alleges that behind the scenes in one of Kansas City’s most popular entertainment districts, a group of board members conspired to keep Black business owners out.
The businesses Euphoric LLC, UniKC LLC and The Sourze LLC are seeking $70 million in damages from the Westport Community Improvement District, claiming violations of federal civil rights laws.
The three companies alleged that the Westport CID was comprised of 12 members, all of whom were white, and that they used tactics to make it “nearly impossible for Black/African American business owners to exist in Westport.”
The lawsuit stated that of the 251 business owners in the Westport district, Black business owners are nearly nonexistent.
The Sourze LLC
Robert Thorpe is listed as the owner and/or manager of The Sourze.
Thorpe’s art gallery and event space at 427 Westport Road initially received approval for plans to expand with a restaurant called The Daiquiri Shop KC, the lawsuit stated.
The Daiquiri Shop was planned as a second location of an existing business on 11th and Grand Avenue in Kansas City. After The Sourze paid over $22,000 in rent and nearly $25,000 in expenses, agents of the property management company told Thorpe the concept would no longer be approved, according to the document.
The lawsuit alleged agents said the restaurant would “cannibalize” other Westport bars and that establishments patronized by “hip-hop crowds” equated to violence.
The Sourze’s occupancy was also reduced from 200 people to 80 people, according to the complaint.
Euphoric LLC
Christopher Lee and Damion Johnson are the owners/managers of Euphoric LLC. They signed a 10-year lease in October 2024 for the former Ale House location at 4128 Broadway.
After signing the lease and paying a $10,000 security deposit, Lee was promised keys to the property. However, when social media posts by popular Black promoters announced the restaurant’s reopening and hiring event, the situation changed, the lawsuit detailed.
The lawsuit alleged that CID board member Brett Allred contacted the landlord and pressured him to end the agreement. The landlord allegedly told Lee that Allred said he didn’t need to talk to Lee because “I already know what he is all about.” At that time, the lawsuit stated, Allred only knew Lee’s name, race and that Black promoters had posted about the business.
During a subsequent phone call, Allred allegedly expressed concerns about Euphoric’s “type of crowd” and security issues. When Lee asked if it was “a culture thing,” the landlord responded, “Well, they’re afraid that it will bring violence,” according to the complaint. The landlord told Lee he needed to target “an older crowd” and “not that young hip hop crowd.”
Euphoric anticipated total revenues of $70 million over the life of the entire 10-year lease, the lawsuit stated.
UniKC LLC
D’Mario Gray is owner/manager of UniKC LLC. His company signed a lease in April 2021 for 4140 Pennsylvania Avenue with DB Icehouse LLC. The lease included a noncompete clause prohibiting UniKC from selling pizza or competing with the neighboring Denver Biscuit Company.
After signing the lease, DB Icehouse delivered keys to Gray and his partners, allowing them to begin renovations. The trio then met with the owner of the Denver Biscuit Company to discuss their plans for the space.
According to the lawsuit, the Denver Biscuit owner’s demeanor became “offended, dismissive, annoyed, agitated, and upset” when Gray and one of his business partners described their business as a club catering to a young R&B and hip-hop crowd, the lawsuit stated.
The owner asked about the door placement, the type of music and what kind of crowd the business would draw. They told the owner they would follow security guidelines and employ police officers, expenses they had already included in their business projections. However, the lawsuit alleges the owner contacted DB Icehouse representatives the next day to express his displeasure.
DB Icehouse sent Gray an email saying they had received a cease-and-desist letter regarding the lease. When Gray tried to access the property, he discovered the locks had been changed. The lawsuit stated Gray had not violated any lease terms at that point.
In subsequent conversations, Gray was told that neighboring business owners, including the Denver Biscuit owner, did not want his “type of crowd” in Westport. DB Icehouse ultimately paid UniKC $100,000 to terminate the lease and walk away from the deal.
The lawsuit noted that Gray is a positive community contributor who recently held an anti-violence event called “Guns Down Gloves Up” that drew praise from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. Gray has also organized charity events, including giving away 500 Thanksgiving turkeys to the Kansas City community.
The lawsuit alleged the Westport CID and its members are “actively engaging in illegal racketeering through use of influence and bribery of Kansas City officials/agents and employees to control who receives and/or maintains a liquor license for prospective and/or established businesses in the Westport community.”
All three businesses are also seeking punitive damages and attorney fees. The complaint requests immediate possession of the restaurant property for Euphoric LLC.
The Westport CID refuted the allegations from the lawsuit in a statement to KCTV5.
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