City of Ann Arbor plans to file lawsuit against Dream Nite Club
The city of Ann Arbor plans to file a lawsuit against Dream Nite Club that would ask a judge to declare the business a nuisance, City Attorney Stephen Postema said today.
Postema declined to specify when the suit might be filed against the club on South Fourth Avenue, where three people were stabbed May 1 and a fight broke out Sunday that resulted in a man being shot in a neighboring parking lot.
Dream Nite Club
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Vickash Mangray, who runs the club and previously operated it under the name Studio 4, could not be reached for comment. Attorney David Shand, who represents the club, said everyone who enters the club is patted down. Security people inside wear fluorescent green jackets, so patrons can easily get their attention, he said. The club serves drinks only in plastic containers, not glass, he said.
Shand said the fight on Sunday occurred roughly a half-hour after the club closed in a parking lot the club doesn't own. No one brought a weapon into Dream, he said.
"We cannot control a parking lot that's owned by the United States Postal Service," he said.
Ann Arbor Police Chief Barnett Jones did not return a phone call seeking comment today.
Studio 4 closed in June after city officials raised concerns over a two-year period about problems at the business, including large-scale fights. The club reopened two months later under the name Dream Nite Club. Postema said the lawsuit will take into account the history of activity at Studio 4.
There have been two serious fights at Dream Nite Club last month.
Mayor John Hieftje, who expects the suit to be filed this week, said the city attorney's office and police officials have had numerous conversations in the past with people running the club, but they have not taken steps to change their ways.
"Things are escalating there and it's a little bit of a race to see if we can get cooperation from the courts before something even more serious happens," he said.
On Sunday, 21-year-old Cornelius Wilson of Ypsilanti was arrested, accused of shooting a man in the forearm in the parking lot in between the club and Champion House Restaurant & Sushi Bar shortly after the club let out, police said. He faces charges including four counts of assault with intent to murder. A crowd of between 40 and 60 people had gathered in the lot, some of whom had been fighting inside the bar, police said. A 22-year-old Westland man, who suffered the gunshot wound and was assaulted, was hospitalized, police said. Another man injured during the fight was treated at a hospital and released.
Police also said a 23-year-old Westland man who fired multiple shots in the air was taken into custody and then released as Washtenaw County prosecutors decide whether to file criminal charges.
On May 1, a man cut two men in the face and a woman in the leg with a sharp object during a fight on the club's dance floor. The man had been kicked out of the club earlier in the night.
No arrests have been made in that case.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
DEE's
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 4:17 p.m.
I know a lot of you people are to ignorant to perceive what happens out of your safe little four walls, but before studio 4 came into the mix, and even without it, drugs, rape, assaults and robberies still ran rampant through ann arbor. And let's touch on the subject of bad apple or 's plural. Isn't that just a nicer way of saying black people. I'll be the first to tell you living out of ypsi / ann arbor for well over ten years of my 25 years on this planet i have seen way more of these people who you feel safe around, AKA white pencil pushing nerds that look like they couldn't hurt a stick of butter do things that are way more scandilous that any black person i've ever met, and while your sitting down comfy in your little chair at your little cafe and your contemplating as to why the owner has such a big smile on their face while your yelling at them about a messed up order. It's because they just got done sniffing 4 lines of blow in the bathroom and could really give a damn about what your saying, and he's also chuckling about the fact that the second plate of food brought you was had a hot side of loogie mixed in with the entree just right so you can't notice,( and yes it's a white guy, but more than anything yes, it's Ann Arbor). You people live in fantasy land here. where are the complaints about all the house parties that get crazy in ann arbor that let minors walk in and drink as they please overdose sent to the hospital to get there stomachs pumped. Did we also forget about the gigantic bust of extacy pills that came from who, oh my god white college students it's amazing. OH but wait there's no nuisance with drunk and beligerent U of M student's their allumni it's ok and heh as long long as there helping the economy of Ann Arbor what's wrong with pumping a few hundred thousand pills to kids like candy. here's a prime example of how A@# backwards ann arbor is.
1201SouthMain
Fri, Jun 3, 2011 : 12:50 p.m.
"drugs, rape, assaults and robberies still ran rampant through ann arbor" No need to read any further than this sentence to know the author is clueless. A2 has a well documented historically low crime rate, especially violent crimes for a city of its size.
Nicole Barley
Fri, Jun 3, 2011 : 12:54 a.m.
Exactly! Thank you! It's not about black vs white or any color! I try to tell him that but he doesn't listen. He's always playing the race card unfortunately. It's ridiculous because he always gets so defensive as if he was black himself! LOL! The club owner is scandalous! This club needs to be permanently shut down and the owner needs to have his right to run a club or have a liquor license taken away! I try to tell him that but he doesn't listen. He's always playing the race card unfortunately. It's ridiculous because he always gets so defensive as if he was black himself! LOL!
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
Aww, feeling cornered? Your message is nothing but a red herring... please stick to the facts of the original article? Namely, whether this silly club should be sued by the city or not! BTW, the Cavern Club, Blind Pig and a variety of clubs in the Metro Detroit area cater to all races, genders, and creeds.
Nicole Barley
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 4:28 p.m.
This is not a racist issue, so stop making it that way. Shut up.
Nicole Barley
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 4:04 p.m.
That club is so scandalous! It needs to be SHUT DOWN! This club has changed names way too many times, just to avoid getting in trouble with the law! They should lose their right to own clubs in general! This club is a joke! This has been the only club with these kinds of issues.
BigMike
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 1:05 p.m.
Let the DDA buy it. They'll have to have a place to house all the computers needed to run their new complex parking fee system.
Bertha Venation
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 1:22 p.m.
HA! Good one, Mike! heh heh!
Awakened
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 11:25 a.m.
Why have cops to prevent assaults and enforce liquor laws when you can just sue them after you find the bodies? Since this is doentown, does the DDA get the money?
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 11:51 a.m.
Maybe the DDA could take over the lease and open its own club. They could call it: 'Fleece A2 Taxpayers' and just reach into our pockets and take our money?
15crown00
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 5:35 a.m.
the Ann Arbor City Council should sue itself.why?well just because.
Bertha Venation
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 1 p.m.
HA! You got THAT right!
microtini
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 3:33 a.m.
I miss Maude's.
RJA
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 1:15 a.m.
Just got to love Bertha!
Dalex64
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 10:48 p.m.
Metal detectors, anybody? I think it is telling that they pat-down everybody who comes in. Wow.
fight hunger
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 10:35 p.m.
please shut it down please
Tru2Blu76
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 10:20 p.m.
Something I observed years ago just came to me: AAPD used to station a patrol car in the parking lot next to the sports bar on Packard during open hours. I witnessed a couple of times that the patrol car went after cars leaving that bar and pulled them over. This was obvious; the AAPD was operating a DUI trap set for the patrons of that bar. This went on for a time, then stopped. The logical conclusion is that the visible trap worked to inhibit patrons from driving while impaired. It's reasonable to assume that such a setup would work to inhibit the patrons of the Dream Nite Club from misbehaviors. Probably, AAPD has already considered this - I hope they have and will put it into operation ASAP. BTW: the claim by some here that there was/is some kind of racially motivated exclusion going on - initiated by some patrons - is "interesting" because it violates federal law. "Reverse discrimination" is no more legal than "regular discrimination." Complaints may be filed for this kind of thing. -- This allegation also brings up the possibility that people living, shopping or working in the area may be at risk from some patrons of that place. I for one won't be "run off" or intimidated.
Awakened
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 11:28 a.m.
Cops used to park out front of the "Studio 4" to be a visible presence too. But there aren't enough cops to do this anymore. AAPD has been cut in half.
treetowncartel
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 3:56 a.m.
Those same cops used to hang out in said bar on Monday nights and drink in the parkiing lot of said bar well past closing time.
lk carter
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 9:01 p.m.
i hope they close it!! the owner doesn't deserve to do business in a2!! with the constantly changing dress codes, cover charges depending on your race that night!! SHUT IT DOWN!! MAKE IT A RESTAURANT AGAIN!!
Mike.Epps
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 8:51 p.m.
This is a a very tough law suit to win, the fact of the matter is the shooting happened on private property that the U.S Goverment owns. Can you define what is meant by "out of towners"...if you know anything about the Law and Civil Rights you would understand this law suit against the Club could be opening up a Federal Law Suit.........it could be very costly to the Club owners or very costly to the City of Ann Arbor.
Snehal
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.
"We cannot control a parking lot that's owned by the United States Postal Service," - Then why the heck are they allowed to park over there? Also, do they controkl on how much a person is drunk?
Tru2Blu76
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 8:25 p.m.
The obvious solution: Ann Arbor buys the Dream Nite Club, staffs it 100% with police officers who would have been laid off. All proceeds go to the city budget to pay for the club and police salaries. As for the bad apples migrating to other bars: the city could just repeat the above process until all bars are owned by the city and run by AAPD officers. Then - Ypsilanti could do the same thing, forcing the bad apples to migrate to Detroit. As it is now: the privately owned bars are magnets for those who are part of the Free Enterprise System - customers are "freely choosing" to drink, to indulge in dysfunctional behavior ranging from littering, abusive language, drunk driving, brawling, date rape and illegally using firearms. The bars which win this competition for "business" become the worst of the lot.
1201SouthMain
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 7:55 p.m.
Kent, that's not true. The patrons of Studio 4/Dream Nite Club will not just move down the street to The Arena. They're looking for a particular type of bar/club and that place is the only one in town. Close it down and those patrons that are causing the trouble won't even step downtown Ann Arbor. Downtown Ann Arbor was great without this type of "club" before Studio 4 and it will be great without it. Kudos to Major Hieftje for taking action. I emailed the Major a couple years ago regarding Studio 4 and he told me then that it was on his radar and plans were in action. It took a little long but I'm glad to see the city will not stand by and watch this place ruin our amazing town. Mark, I would estimate 90% of the patrons are out of towners. Back when Studio 4 first opened it drew some locals but as it got worse it drove the locals out.
Roadman
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 4:26 a.m.
Major Hieftje? Is he in the reserves?
xsnrg454
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 7:25 p.m.
the only time people are patted down is when the police are parked in front of the door, and even then its a pretty poor pat down
Roadman
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 6:45 p.m.
This is a long-overdue step in the right direction. Ann Arbor should not tolerate the chronic cycle of violence and legal violations that have been witnessed in a number of taverns in Ann Arbor.
Awakened
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 11:31 a.m.
If only the City had a department that had the authority to enforce violations of legal violations. AAPD? They have been cut in half and only have time to guide parades and ticket speeders. The mayor is comfortable with that.
Wolf's Bane
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 6:23 p.m.
Hmm, I think the city has a good case because this is really becoming repetitive and silly. Call the club whatever you will, but clearly it attracts the wrong crowd and it is the club's alcohol (albeit, from plastic cups) that fuels their clientele's behavior. I frequent the Cavern Club, Blind Pig, and countless other clubs in Metro Detroit and I have NEVER seen this type of behavior, nor heard of this kind of required security needed within a club? "forgetaboutit"
Mark
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 5:30 p.m.
It would be interesting to know what percentage of the fights, shooting, etc. are caused by out-of-towners. Seriously -- drive from Westland just to go to a nightclub in Ann Arbor?
Bertha Venation
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.
If the City of Ann Arbor wins the lawsuit, can we hire back the police and firemen?? Purddy please, Jed?
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 4:45 p.m.
"Studio 4 closed in June after city officials raised concerns over a two-year period about problems at the business, including large-scale fights. The club reopened two months later under the name Dream Nite Club. Postema said the lawsuit will take into account the history of activity at Studio 4." So why did City Council vote to renew this liquor license during this same time period?
Kent2525
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 4:18 p.m.
The bad Apples will just move to another bar or location. They will then cause trouble in a different bar until that one is closed. You will have to shut down all bars and night clubs. If you leave it open and post a cop close by at least you know where the apple lands when it falls from the tree.
Kent2525
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 4:16 p.m.
The bad Apples will just move to another bar or location. They will then cause trouble in a different bar until that one is closed. You will have to shut down all bars and night clubs. If you leave it open and post a cop close by at least you know where the apple lands when it falls from the tree.
Mike.Epps
Sat, Jun 4, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
Well the party that was suppose to happen @ Dream this Friday was moved to Live @ Pjs
Leanne
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 7:03 p.m.
Wrong. None of the other clubs in Ann Arbor will tolerate this crowd. Nice double post, by the way.