POLK COUNTY, Iowa– Another multi-million-dollar lawsuit has been filed against two Des Moines brothers already embroiled in controversy.
Chad and Brian O’Meara are the men behind multiple ‘Ignit’ business ventures. However, their business dealings have come under intense scrutiny in recent months.
Chad and Brian O’Meara, the developers behind the failed Ignit franchises.
On Thursday, the landlord for the Ignit Sports and Fitness facility in Grimes filed a lawsuit against the brothers and their company Ignit, LLC, seeking roughly $3-million. Prairie Business Park II, LLC, claims there was a breach of contract related to the 62,000 square-foot warehouse that, up until recently, had housed a gym and youth sports facility.
The 7-page filing alleges the defendants stopped paying rent on the commercial lease, were evicted from the property, and still owe a large amount of money under their contractual agreement.
Support documents filed with the lawsuit show Ignit accrued late fees for the facility beginning in November. The petition states that on January 13, the landlord provided a ‘Notice to Cure’ to Ignit for failure to pay rent. Base rent was $33,385.42 per month, with additional rent of $26,157.46 for a total of roughly $59,500.00 a month, according to court documents. However, Ignit failed to make the necessary repayment, and their tenancy was terminated, which resulted in the landlord issuing a ‘Notice to Quit’ on Jan. 28.
The building was locked down by the landlord around February 10. Families who said they paid thousands of dollars to be part of the 2026 Ignit Volleyball program told WHO 13’s Katie Kaplan in February that they felt swindled out of their money.
The lawsuit is asking for past-due rent and future rent owed for the rest of the lease term, which was allegedly set to expire on Oct. 31, 2029, in the amount of $2,907,149.65. However, the landlord still holds a $31,614.59 security deposit, which brings the total owed to $2,875,535.06, claims the lawsuit. The filing also states that the property was damaged beyond normal wear and tear and the landlord is asking for compensation in an amount that has not yet been determined, in addition to attorneys’ fees, court costs, and interest up to 18% per year.
On Mar. 11, a ‘Demand for Payment’ for $2,875,535.06, plus those additional costs, was issued to the defendants. The lawsuit was filed Mar. 26.
Prairie Business Park II, LLC, claims a breach of contract related to the 62,000 square-foot warehouse that had housed a gym and youth sports facility.Download
Ex. 6 – Notice to QuitDownload
Prairie Business Park II, LLC, has since removed Ignit signage from the windows and facade of the building.
Two weeks ago, the City of Johnston filed a nearly $3.6-million lawsuit alleging breach of contract connected to the failed Ignit Johnston project. Ignit Johnson, LLC, had allegedly received more than $3.5 million in incentives to build the private recreational facility and outdoor sports fields.
The project was set to encompass more than 30 acres of land, including a more than 200,000-square-foot sports and recreation facility that touted it would play host to the state’s largest indoor track and a full-size soccer field. Construction had started on the property, which sits just north of Interstate 35/80 along the west side of Merle Hay Road. However, that property sits partially developed and is now dormant.
These are in addition to several other lawsuits filed in Polk County that allege the brothers have recently defaulted on multi-million-dollar loans and failed to repay investors.
Chad and Brian O’Meara did not respond to requests for comment on Friday night, nor have they or their legal counsel responded to previous requests for comment.
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