Controversial Musician Kid Rock Is Closing Down His Little Caesars Arena Restaurant #DetroitFood

Kid Rock’s Made in Detroit restaurant. | Michelle Gerard

The Macomb County-raised rocker is ending his licensing agreement with the sports and entertainment venue

Kid Rock’s Made in Detroit restaurant is pulling out of the Little Caesars Arena in April. Representatives for Ilitch Holdings, which owns the Detroit sports and entertainment venue, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that musician Kid Rock had declined to renew his licensing agreement for the restaurant.

The news comes as the controversial Macomb County-born musician Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, faces renewed backlash for a drunken rant against Oprah, The View’s Joy Behar, and Kathie Lee Gifford on stage at his Nashville bar. Organizers with the National Action Committee in Detroit were planning a protest in front of the Made in Detroit restaurant for later today, according to the Detroit News.

Chris Granger, group president for sports and entertainment at Ilitch Holdings, addressed the licensing agreement in a statement:

We have been in contact with Kid Rock. He has voluntarily decided not to renew his licensing agreement for the Kid Rock’s Made in Detroit restaurant which comes up for renewal in April. We are in the business of amazing and inspiring our fans and guests through an incredible array of world-class sporting and live entertainment events. As our venues are open, inviting, inclusive, and respectful to all, we look forward to bringing on an exciting new concept that aligns with our community and company values.

Kid Rock’s Made in Detroit restaurant with its Southern-influenced menu received a decidedly mixed welcome in Detroit when it opened in 2017. The rocker is an avid Trump supporter whose known to use Confederate flags on stage at his performances. In his most recent rant, he addressed critics who claimed he was racist.

In January, a former employee, Carinne A. Silverman-Maddox, filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination at the Kid Rock restaurant. Silverman-Maddox claims that the bar favored white employees and eventually terminated her “based on her race.” The lawsuit, which names food service operator Delaware North, Detroit District Sports Service, Top Dog Records, and Bobby Moscow LLC, is ongoing with the most recent filings posted in November.

Kid Rock, meanwhile, has been selling off local real estate holdings. He listed a waterfront property in Detroit for sale in July complete with images of Jesus in the bathroom and Made in Detroit window shades.

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from Eater Detroit - All