DALLAS — The legal battle that has kept Rodeo Dallas shuttered for over a month has escalated beyond the courtroom, with the bar’s owner accusing a real estate investment firm of trying to “gentrify” Deep Ellum.

In a video posted to the bar's Instagram page , Joseph “JD” Ybanez, part-owner and operator of Rodeo Dallas, alleged that Asana Partners — the firm behind the lawsuit that resulted in the bar’s closure — is working to change the popular neighborhood by targeting businesses that bring in diverse crowds.

“They want their investment to increase in value, and how do they do that in their minds? Get rid of the Blacks and Mexicans, get rid of the clubs and the bars and the restaurants that they go to. The fact that no one can see that they're just trying to gentrify the area for t

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