- Brian Chilson
- DANCE ALL NIGHT: Patrons of Electric Cowboy.
In Little Rock, for the time being, it's still possible to stay out drinking and dancing 'til the break of dawn. That soon could be history. For months now, the City Board of Directors has been discussing the possibility of forcing all clubs in Little Rock to close by 2 a.m. The discussion is aimed at the few nightspots that are currently allowed to stay open until 5 a.m. by virtue of possessing one of the few grandfathered-in Class B Private Club licenses, which the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board stopped issuing in 2001. There are 13 Class B licenses in Little Rock, only eight of which are connected to an active nightclub: Triniti, Salut, Paper Moon, Midtown Billiards, Jazzi's, Club Elevations, Discovery and Electric Cowboy. (Jazzi's elects to close at 3 a.m.)
One ordinance that would shut down late-night clubbing is the work of Ward 4 City Director Brad Cazort and at-large Director Gene Fortson. It would close Class B clubs at 2 a.m. during the week and 3 a.m. during weekends and on holidays. A counterproposal presented to City Manager Bruce Moore by an association of private clubs would allow the clubs to stay open until 5 a.m., but would require a contingent of at least two off-duty police officers on site at each location, with the option to require more on a case-by-case basis if the Little Rock Chief of Police deems it necessary. An earlier ordinance put forward by at-large Director Joan Adcock, which would shut private clubs at 2 a.m. every night of the week, now appears to be off the table, with Adcock evidently supporting the proposal put forward by Cazort and Fortson.
Votes on the ordinance proposed by Cazort and Fortson and the pro-club proposal could happen as early as the next City Board meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19.*
On a recent Saturday morning visit to three of the 5 a.m. clubs — Midtown Billiards, Electric Cowboy and Club Elevations — we saw easily more than 1, 000 people out between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. The crowds we saw skewed young, and the off-duty police and security contingent overseeing them was large. We're not ashamed to say that there have been times in the past when we were among those crowds.
Ryan Cregan