Theatre Sues Company for Failing to Pay Donation

Are family members of the Tyson Food Company being cheap with a Texas theatre? According to a lawsuit filed by the Zach Theatre in Austin, TX, that appears to be the case.

According to court documents, theatre officials are accusing Carla Tyson of coming up short on her word of donating $500,000 to the Zach to fund the construction and operation of the Topfer Theatre, in exchange for having a lobby named after her mother, Twilla Jean Tyson, and a wall featuring the name of her sister, Cheryl Jean Tyson.

Tyson paid $255,000 in August 2013, making her next payment smaller than the agreed $100,000. She owed $45,000 in June 2015 and $100,000 in June 2016 and June 2017. But those three last payments were never sent, the lawsuit says.

When reached by the theatre in late 2017, Tyson allegedly agreed to a new payment schedule. However, she still has not paid any more money to the theatre.

The Zach Theatre claims Tyson committed fraud when she said she would pay out the remaining $245,000 in two installments in 2017 and 2018. The theater said Tyson’s failure to pay what she promised caused its budget to be revised to make up for revenue shortfall concerns, the lawsuit says. The money is needed for the theater’s operating costs, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit is requesting a jury trial and a judgment payment for damages, attorney fees and other costs, the lawsuit says.

While Ms. Tyson’s ties with the food company are unknown, it should be noted that the company raised $40 billion in revenue in 2018.