Ward & Partners File Bankruptcy

The owners of The Locker Room Bar & Grille, including Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday in federal court.  Chapter 11 proceedings allow the business to reorganize because debtors expect to remain in business and expect to be able to pay unsecured creditors.  Paperwork filed in relation to the case estimate the assets of the Locker Room to be worth between $100,000 and $500,000. 

The estimated liabilities are in the same range.  This is not the first time “The Locker Room” has been in the courts.  The bar has been the center of an ongoing civil case between the bar and its former manager.  A co-owner and former manager of the bar claimed that nearly $1-million dollars of the bar’s money is unaccounted for.  A state court ruled that Ward and the husband of one of the bar’s managers to repay more than $170,000 to the business.  Ward was to repay $48,000 and the rest was to be paid by Kimberly Pitts husband Korey.  Pitts is a managing member of The Locker Room.  Ward has repaid his share, Pitts has not.  Attorney’s for the former manager say the bankruptcy filing is an attempt to circumvent the State Courts ruling.