The legal jousting surrounding the Texas Renaissance Festival has reached its finale, with a Grimes County judge ruling that the owner, George "King George" Coulam, must part with his faux-medieval empire. The decision comes after a botched $60 million sale left the festival's future hanging by a thread. In a turn of events worthy of a Shakespearean drama—minus the flowery language, of course—Coulam's kingdom is set to change lords.
According to Click2Houston, the dispute began in April 2023 when Coulam agreed to sell the Texas Renaissance Festival and its assets to a consortium of buyers. Everything seemed set for the closing in August 2023, but Coulam and his companies reportedly failed to meet their obligations, leading the deal to crumble and litigations to ensue. As an of the final ruling, festival operations will press forward as scheduled for the 2025 season amidst this ownership upheaval.
Ongoing litigation finally culminated with Judge Gary W. Chaney of the 506th state District Court siding with the plaintiffs, awarding them damages north of $22 million, on top of a hefty $1 million in attorney fees, as Chron.com outlines in their coverage of the dramatic sale. The lawsuit painted a picture of a deal gone sour, with the cooperative buyers—RW Lands, Inc., Texas Stargate, Inc., Royal Campground, Inc., and Texas RF, Inc.—accusing Coulam of giving them the cold shoulder come closing day.
The fallout of this Renaissance wrangle hasn't gone unnoticed, especially given the HBO documentary "Ren Faire," which trails Coulam's eccentric leadership and contemplations over the festival's succession. Despite Coulam's reluctance to pass the torch, chronicled in the aforementioned documentary, the forced change in ownership marks a definitive end to his reign. The festival's spokesperson reassured fans via Facebook, saying, "Our commitment remains unchanged: to deliver a safe, vibrant, and memorable experience for the hundreds of thousands of guests who visit each year," as noted by Chron.com.
What's certain is that the fair's patrons can look forward to the same blend of jousting, turkey legs, and costumed merriment that has defined the event since its inception in 1974, just 45 minutes north of downtown Houston.
