Rascal Flatts issued a statement to fans announcing that the restaurant chain they had licensed their name to will not be opening.
"Hey Flatttheads,
You may have noticed our name was associated with a restaurant project. We licensed the use of our name ot a restaurant developer a few years back, but never participated in the ownership or development of the restaurants in any way. We were not responsible for any obligations of the developer, RF IP, LLC.
Because we know you have been looking forward to enjoying our themed restaurants, we wanted to let you know that this project is no longer happening. We ended the agreement and do not have a business relationship with the developer. They are not authorized to use our name in any way. We wanted to be transparent to our fans in case there was any confusion related to our involvement in the restaurants.
Thank y'all so much for your continued support!" -Rascal Flatts
The developer they had licensed their name to allegedly has ties to organized crime. He also was found skimming money from the band.
One Rascal Flatts themed restaurant did open in Connecticut, but it closed within a year. The rest either crashed before opening or never got off the ground. The developer now sits with a trail of unpaid bills.
Thankfully, as said in the statement, the band had no involvement with the development of the restaurants. They ONLY licensed their name.
If you are sad about Rascal Flatts restaurants not coming to a city near you, just remember that Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, and Jason Aldean all have bar and grills in Downtown Nashville. There will also be a Blake Shelton Ole' Red Restaurant opening in Orlando soon!
Source: USA TODAY