Insurance disputes can play out like a high-stakes tug-of-war — one side pulling toward payment, the other digging in its heels over every dollar. This time, the rope snapped in favor of the policyholder. A federal jury has determined that a Minnesota event center didn't hide evidence or twist the facts to pad its vandalism claims stemming from the protests that erupted after George Floyd's death. The result: the Floyd Protests Fraud Claims leveled against the venue simply didn't hold up.

The Verdict, Spelled Out

U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel entered judgment Tuesday in favor of Twin Cities Dance and Entertainment LLC, cementing a jury's Aug. 3 finding that the event center hadn't acted willfully or with intent to defraud Great American Insurance Co. by concealing or misrepresenting any material fact tied to its claim. The jury went a step further, concluding Twin Cities Dance also hadn't falsely represented any past or present material facts to its insurer.

How the Damage Began

Rewind to May 2020: protests following George Floyd's death swept through the Twin Cities, leaving the St. Paul-based event center scarred by smoke damage and vandalism — collateral damage in a moment of citywide upheaval. Roughly a month later, the venue's landlord terminated its lease, adding a second blow on top of the physical destruction.

Money Changed Hands — Then the Real Fight Began

Great American initially paid out more than $1 million for the losses, including upwards of $212,000 tied to lost business income. But that payment turned out to be just the opening move. Twin Cities Dance came back with additional claims under the policy, this time seeking $1.8 million for business income losses — a figure that set the stage for a much bigger clash.

By July 2021, the event center pushed for an appraisal to settle its remaining claims. Great American agreed, though it carefully preserved its right to deny coverage down the line. When the appraisal panel finished its work, it awarded Twin Cities Dance more than $986,000 — $20,000 for emergency real estate consulting fees, with the remainder tied to business income losses.

The Insurer Strikes Back

Rather than pay up, Great American went on offense. In March 2023, the insurer filed suit, arguing that fraud voided Twin Cities Dance's policy entirely, that the appraisal award shouldn't be honored, and that the event center should be forced to return the $1 million it had already received — a legal Hail Mary aimed at clawing back money already paid.

Dueling Explanations for the Losses

Here's where the story splits into two competing narratives. Twin Cities Dance insisted its business income losses stemmed directly from the riot damage and the lease termination that followed. Great American told a different story, pointing instead to the COVID-19 pandemic and the government shutdown orders that crippled event venues nationwide. The insurer went further still, accusing Twin Cities Dance of deliberately manipulating its reservation records to inflate both the number and value of prospective bookings — essentially alleging the venue cooked its books to look busier than it really was.

A Counterpunch From the Event Center

Twin Cities Dance didn't just defend itself — it swung back with counterclaims, arguing that Great American breached the policy by refusing to pay the appraisal award and acted in bad faith throughout the process.

The Judge Narrows the Battlefield

Before the case ever reached a jury, Judge Brasel trimmed its scope. In June 2025, she ruled that because Great American had consistently disputed the claimed losses from the start, Twin Cities Dance couldn't pursue consequential damages for an alleged breach of contract. She also found no reasonable jury could side with the event center on its bad faith claim, concluding Twin Cities Dance hadn't shown the insurer recklessly ignored information or pursued an unreasonable legal strategy.

Silence in the Aftermath

Representatives for both parties did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday, leaving the final verdict to speak for itself.

The Legal Teams

Great American was represented by M. Gregory Simpson, Timothy R. Schupp and Martha L. Snipstad of Meagher + Geer PLLP. Twin Cities Dance's defense came courtesy of Alexander M. Jadin, Bradley K. Hammond, Alexandra J. Anderson and Danielle M. Dumett of Smith Jadin Johnson PLLC.

In the end, what began as accusations of deception ended with a jury unwilling to buy the story — proof that even amid chaos and competing versions of events, the truth still had to survive cross-examination.