Lawsuit against Iowa State Fair by former Steer N’ Stein owner to get new trial date

DES MOINES, Iowa — A new trial date will be set next month in a lawsuit against the Iowa State Fair filed by the former owner of Steer N’ Stein.

A trial scheduling conference is set for August 20 in the matter. The previous trial date was October 26, 2026.

Michael Krantz and his company K and M Advising, LLC, filed the lawsuit against the Iowa State Fair, its board, and the Blue Ribbon Foundation in November 2025, after receiving a non-renewal letter from the fair, alleging Krantz still owed $90,000 from 2024 Steer N’ Stein sales.

The petition claims financial confusion arose due to a new third-party payment system at the 2024 fair and limits to payments in the system, but that by the end of the fair, K and M Advising, LLC was notified there was no outstanding balance. It was weeks later that an invoice from the ISF was sent to K and M Advising, LLC, claiming $90,000 was still owed. Additional documentation and accounting details about the balance were requested from the ISF, but the petition said nothing was provided to K and M Advising, LLC.

The lawsuit states, “Iowa State Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons and James Romer stated that Steer N’ Stein owed ISF more than $100,000, statements which were published in various news outlets.” According to the petition, “the continuous ridicule and harassment” faced by the family following the allegations forced them to move out of state.

Other claims included in the lawsuit are that the ISF denied access to the premises before the end of K and M Advising, LLC’s lease was over, and auctioned off its property without permission.

In a separate lawsuit, Krantz has sued the owner of the business that took over the spot once occupied by the Steer N’ Stein at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Krantz filed a defamation lawsuit in October 2025 against Joni Bell, owner of Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery.

The lawsuit references a shirt sold by the establishment and worn by its employees that said, “COLD BEER & PAID EMPLOYEES.” A cease and desist letter was served to Bell on August 9, 2025, to remove the shirt immediately and stop using, selling, giving away, and/or displaying it. Court records show she complied, but Krantz claimed damage to his reputation had already been done.

Multiple employees of the Steer ‘N’ Stein claimed they were not paid for their work during the 2024 fair.

The defamation lawsuit states, “Ms. Bell’s Shirt was an obvious reference to Mr. Krantz, and it is clear the public understood it as such.”

In the petition, Krantz stated that the allegations that employees were not paid are false.

The defamation trial is set for March 29, 2027, according to online court records.

Iowa News

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