BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A new court filing in McLennan County accuses Mark Schulman, the businessman behind the Schulman’s Movie Bowl Grille project, still under construction in Bryan, of moving company money into his personal accounts and into businesses tied to him.
The filing is a second amended petition in McLennan County District Court, naming Schulman and others as defendants. The lawsuit is centered on a separate business dispute, but the petition repeatedly ties entities and spending allegations back to Schulman’s Movie Bowl Grille.
What the petition alleges
The plaintiff, Michael Princip, alleges that company funds were funneled into businesses tied to Schulman, including SMBG Management, LLC, EPMC Group, LLC, and 58 Aggie Development, LLC. The filing claims those companies are registered at an address tied to Movie Bowl Grille.
The petition also alleges that company funds were used to pay legal fees related to Schulman’s daughter, described in the filing as counsel for Schulman’s Movie Bowl Grille. SMBG Management, LLC is listed as the tenant for Schulman’s Movie Bowl Grille lease agreement in Bryan.
Princip says he invented impact-reducing helmet technology that was later used in Schutt’s “F7” helmet. He claims Schulman secretly negotiated royalty deals, blocked Princip’s access to company records, and diverted company funds to himself, a friend, and companies he controls, including SMBG Management. The dispute stems from business entities that began more than a decade ago.
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What the plaintiff is seeking
Princip is not only seeking damages but also asking the judge to appoint a receiver to take control of the businesses at issue, or to order an injunction removing Schulman as manager and restricting access to finances and royalty payments.
A hearing is set for July 8.
The petition is a list of allegations. Nothing has been proven in court.
Impact on the Bryan project
The Bryan project at Midtown Park has faced repeated delays, with city leaders pushing back the projected opening by more than two years. The city of Bryan has not yet provided a copy of the project’s promissory notes.
The unfinished building has become what feels like a permanent eyesore visible to all who drive by or enter the park along W. Villa Maria Road. The city is now giving the company until May 2027 to complete the work.
The project was first announced in 2022, and earlier this month, City Manager Joey Dunn said it was close to halfway complete.
And the company’s troubles extend beyond Bryan.
Developers in Lubbock say they cannot break ground on their own Schulman’s Movie Bowl Grille until the Bryan location is finished, saying the projects are too big to do both at once.
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