The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Board will hold a hearing Tuesday regarding the suspended liquor license of the Three Gables nightclub.
In mid-November, the ABC temporarily pulled the permit of the nightclub where a Pine Bluff man was killed on the parking lot Nov. 13.
The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the 1515 Building, 1515 W. Seventh Ave. in Little Rock. The club owner will be able to present testimony in an attempt to get the permit returned, an official said.
“We can continue to hold the permit, or we could return it, or we could issue a violation report and hold a second hearing,” Michael Langley, director of the board, said recently. “If we pulled the permit, the owner would have a right to appeal to the ABC Board and then to the circuit court either in Pine Bluff or here in Little Rock.”
Stacey Knott, owner and manager of the club, recently, said in a letter to the editor, that events that led to the Nov. 13 homicide and attempted homicides “were through no fault of the III Gables and were in no way connected to our establishment.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“We have taken all necessary steps to ensure that our club is a safe haven for our patrons including providing professional security by off-duty officers from the Pine Bluff area,” Knott said.
In a press release Monday, the Rev. Jesse Turner, executive director of Interested Citizens for Voter Registration and coordinator of Pine Bluff Weed and Seed said the club’s liquor license should remain suspended indefinitely.
He also called upon black community leaders to support efforts to deter black-on-black crime in a city that’s predominantly black.
“We believe the blacks in Pine Bluff must become engaged and organized to step forward and do more to improve our city’s image. ICVR will continue to encourage responsibility and to inspire the young black community to step up and become the image changers this city so desperately needs. The first step is to keep the Three Gables Night Club closed,” he said.
Since the Nov. 13 homicide, Angelia Guynn and John James of Pine Bluff have been promoting an effort entitled, “Taking Pine Bluff Back.” They’re urging residents to join them in taking a stand against crime and violence. They have been organizing meetings, rallies and protests.