Several Black business owners allege that a group that oversees an entertainment district in Kansas City, Missouri, took deliberate steps to hamper their operations until they were forced to either shut down or end their lease agreements.

According to local news outlets, three different Black-owned businesses are suing the Westport Community Improvement District (CID) and its all-white board members, accusing them of racial discrimination and several civil rights violations.

Westport is a historic neighborhood in Kansas City that is now home to a large entertainment district bustling with a vibrant nightlife.

But of the 251 business owners who operate in Westport, almost none of them are Black, according to the lawsuit as reported by KCTV.

The entrepreneurs who are suing the CID allege

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