A Hispanic restaurant proprietor in Chicago has launched a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, alleging officials brazenly refused to renew his licence to operate at a prime waterfront location because he is not black.
The Allegations of Racial Bias in Licensing
Robert Gomez, the owner of Beat Kitchen on the Riverwalk, filed the suit after his permit for the city-owned site was denied, despite him holding it since 2019. The legal action contends that Gomez was the most qualified applicant and had submitted the only timely and complete proposal, yet was passed over due to Mayor Brandon Johnson's stances on racial equity.
'It's depressing,' Gomez told the Daily Mail. 'Like, how could they do this?' His lease on the iconic 1.25-mile Chicago Riverwalk stretch ended in late 2023 after three successful seasons where his venue generated more than $3 million in annual sales.
Claims of Manipulated Procedures and Undisclosed Criteria
According to the lawsuit, Gomez submitted his full proposal to the Department of Fleet and Facility Management in April 2024. To his shock, it was rejected without explanation. The city then allegedly invited Haire’s Gulf Shrimp to apply after the deadline and accepted a 'deficient' proposal from the black-owned business.
The filing asserts that Chicago officials 'manipulated' the criteria and factored in 'undisclosed racial considerations', violating state and federal law. This bias was seemingly evident in scoring sheets, where one committee member noted: 'Would be great to get a black woman-owned business and can promote her other locations.'
'They broke all of these rules to benefit one person. Why?' Gomez questioned. His lawsuit states that while his minority-owned business supports genuine equity, it cannot support the 'substitution of race-influenced directives' for lawful, rule-based evaluation.
Broader Context and Legal Demands
The lawsuit links the alleged discrimination to Mayor Johnson's initiatives which it claims 'disproportionately benefit black Chicagoans.' Notably, Johnson is under a federal investigation initiated in May over accusations of prioritising black candidates for jobs.
Gomez, a 30-year industry veteran, says he supports diversity on the Riverwalk but is confounded by the city's actions. 'I'm all for more minorities on the Riverwalk,' he said. 'But why did they target the only 100 percent minority-owned business on the Riverwalk? It's insane.'
He is seeking financial damages from the city and a court order to void Haire’s Gulf Shrimp lease. Although named as a defendant alongside the city and six committee members, Gomez is not seeking relief from the business itself. Both the owner of Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, Aisha Murff, and a city spokesperson have declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
