An ordinance placing restrictions on the operational hours of local event centers is now being drafted for action from the city leaders.
Police Chief Jeff Curtis has publicly announced that he plans to address some of the issues surrounding event centers within the community. Recently, he said trouble has been brewing at the establishments, often leading to violence.
“We are continuing to get more people coming to City Hall requesting event center licenses,” Curtis told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday. “We know that some event centers are not following the city ordinances. Some may very well be.”
Using a loop hole on how long they can remain open, some event centers are keeping their doors open after the nightclubs have closed for the night.
Nightclubs are required to close at midnight during the week and at 1:30 a.m. over the weekend.
“Event centers are staying open all night,” Curtis said. At 4 o’clock in the morning, we are having to respond to these places and deal with the fights and shootings.”
Curtis said the event centers also must have security onsite if more than 50 people are present with alcohol.
“If you have over 50 people in an establishment with alcohol on the premises whether it is brought in, given away or sold, there has to be a bonded security personnel on site,” he said.
Curtis said the police department has been visiting with local nightclub and event center owners to review the current state laws and local ordinances.
“We have told them all and given them warning,” he said.
Curtis is requesting that the event centers have the same restrictions on operational hours as the nightclubs.
“I would like their operational hours to be the same,” Curtis said. “It would make me happy on Sundays to close at midnight instead of 1:30 a.m. It’s hard enough when we are trying to patrol to be dealing with these things also.”
Sarah O’Reilly-Evans, board attorney, said she saw a similar ordinance in Tupelo.
“They classified event centers under the same definition as their clubs,” she said. “They required they all close at the same time.”
The board will be presented with a draft for action at another board meeting.
