NC club that let customers dance during COVID faces state fines, other penalties
A Charlotte nightclub must pay a $1,000 fine or face a suspension of its liquor permit after allowing dancing and other COVID-19 social distancing violations to occur, according to case filings with the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.
At about 11:30 p.m. on April 3, Dubai Sports Bar and Grill violated North Carolina coronavirus restrictions by allowing dancing, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police ABC unit detective Danny Graham said in a report. At the time, statewide coronavirus restrictions required customers at nightclubs, bars and arenas to be seated; dancing was not allowed.
The offer-in-compromise report was filed last month with the state ABC commission.
A 911 call led to the investigation of the club at 5317 E. Independence Blvd. There weren’t enough tables or chairs at the club to seat the 400 customers, and people were not social distancing or wearing masks, according to the report.
Charlotte bars and music venues were allowed to reopen under restrictions on March 5 for the first time in nearly a year, after being shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
On March 7, Graham said he had “educated” Dubai officials, explaining that customers must be seated and also posted a sign on the door stating “no dancing allowed per the governor’s order.”
Club owner Emmanuel Reyes did not provide any reason why he was not abiding by the state order, Graham said in the report.
Reyes was cited again on April 17 for violating social distancing and seated guest requirements, and employing an unlicensed armed security guard, according to the report.
To avoid a 10-day ABC permit suspension that would start Oct. 22, Reyes must pay $1,000 by Oct. 15, according to the report. Reyes could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
The East Charlotte night club was one of 52 cases that were ratified during Wednesday’s regular meeting of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. Penalties for all cases totaled about $62,400.
Dubai has been cited nine other times for ABC violations from 2017 to 2020, according to the latest case filed with the state ABC commission. Those citations ranged from tax stamp missing from liquor bottles to happy hour violations.
In other ABC action
ABC Chairman Zander Guy resigned Friday.
The ABC commission named Deputy Commissioner Terrance Merriweather to oversee administrative actions, day-to-day operations and to be able to take emergency actions for suspensions of ABC permits until Cooper appoints a new chairman.
The state ABC commission and county ABC boards face supply shortage due to the pandemic and fulfillment issues caused by new contract and software issues with LB&B Associates, the statewide liquor distributor, Observer news partner WBTV reported.
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 4:32 PM with the headline "NC club that let customers dance during COVID faces state fines, other penalties."