Underage clients could be shut out of select venues

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By Tory Brecht | Wednesday, July 9, 2008 12:10 AM CDT | () comments

The set list at Lumpy’s — a tavern and live music venue in Davenport’s Hilltop neighborhood — often mirrors that of the downtown Redstone Room: heavy on local rock acts.

Like the Redstone Room, Lumpy’s has a stage, tables and a full-service bar. Also like the Redstone, Lumpy’s has allowed 19- and 20-year-olds into its stage room — separate from the main barroom that faces Harrison Street — for weekend shows.

But that could change after tonight’s City Council meeting.

An ordinance eliminating an exemption allowing certain bars to host 19- and 20-year-olds is on the consent agenda.

Affected bars are Lumpy’s, Club Fusion on West 2nd Street, Las Bananas on East Kimberly Road and the Dugout Sports Complex on Hickory Grove Road. However, aldermen would allow what they deem “entertainment venues” like the Redstone Room, the Col Ballroom and Capitol Theatre to retain the right to allow 19- and 20-year-olds on their premises.

That doesn’t sit well with owners of the bars now required to boot underage customers.

“It’s absolutely bizarre,” said Lumpy’s owner Ron Frantz. “I have a set schedule of acts, performers, a separate room with a stage — what constitutes a venue? I think of our business as along the lines of the Redstone Room. Many of the same bands that play there, play here.”

Particularly galling, Frantz said, is that the Redstone Room is constantly supported by city leaders while older, established businesses such as his are burdened with further regulation.

“It’s not fair, but we’re all big boys,” he said. “City politicians do what they want to do.”

Russell Thomas, owner of Club Fusion, shares Frantz’s sense of resignation regarding fighting city hall. He won’t be showing up for the third reading of the ordinance, which received unanimous support from aldermen on second reading two weeks ago. A proposed ordinance must be approved on three readings to go into effect.

“I don’t think you can win, so why go?” Thomas said. “They won’t listen to us. They didn’t even tell us about it. I didn’t even hear about it until the second reading.”

Thomas is also upset that 3rd Ward Alderman Bill Boom — who owns Mary’s, another bar on 2nd Street — voted in favor of the ordinance.

“It’s kind of tough when your alderman is your competition,” he said.

Boom said he abstained from voting or discussing the ordinance when it came before the public safety committee, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. The ordinance, he pointed out, has been championed by 8th Ward Alderman Mike Matson.

He also said he doesn’t think the ordinance’s possible negative impact on Club Fusion will boost his own business.

“We’re basically a neighborhood bar, and they’re a nightclub,” he said. “We don’t have dancing. We don’t have a D.J. The clients we attract aren’t necessarily the same clientele we attract. They’re going after a much younger crowd.”

Boom also pointed out that Club Fusion has been problematic in terms of police calls for disturbances, particularly on certain weeknights.

“The police department has to send two squad cars there every Monday to be on standby at closing time to deal with the issues,” Boom said.

Thomas, however, said the police calls and the underage exemption are not connected.

“I have had my license for five years and have had no problems and no violations,” he said. “We haven’t even had a warning.”

And if the intent is to keep 19- and 20-year-olds from drinking, Thomas said, the proposed ordinance is likely to backfire. He said the kids that come to his club are there to dance, not to drink. Without that outlet, he thinks he knows where they will end up.

“They have nowhere to go now,” he said. “They’ll be out driving around in cars drinking and going to house parties.”

Tory Brecht can be contacted at (563) 383-2329 or tbrecht@qctimes.com.