Popular downtown Lafayette nightclub Karma’s registers may ring for the last time this weekend; the bar is facing a revocation of its liquor license, which would effectively shutter the business, pending an appeal Tuesday before the City-Parish Council.
Dusting off a seldom-used nuisance ordinance that assesses points against bars for incidents — mostly fighting, but also drug activity, nudity and other disturbances — the Office of Alcohol and Noise Control, a division of Lafayette Consolidated Government, informed the club owners on Aug. 5 that their license would be revoked. The decision followed a pair of hearings on July 28, the first of which resulted in a ruling that Karma should have its license suspended for only a weekend due to a bartender allegedly working without a bar card. But the second hearing, during which eight points were assessed against the bar for four disturbances involving fights between May 2 and June 25, resulted in the determination to revoke the license altogether.
The ordinance that is cited in Karma’s revocation is Chapter 6, Section 6-11 of the Code of Ordinances: “It shall be unlawful for any permittee’s establishment, place of business, and/or premises to become a public nuisance and against the public good and welfare of the community. Any combination of the following activities that total to 12 points within any 12 consecutive month period shall be considered a public nuisance.”
In an Aug. 13 letter indicating the club’s desire to appeal the revocation, Karma attorney Daniel Stanford writes that he “is prepared to present to the city-parish council at the appeal hearing information and/or evidence that [Alcohol and Noise Control Director Tim Melancon] did not act reasonably and in good faith under the provisions of Chapter 6, specifically Chapter 6-11 ...”
The revocation was scheduled to begin Friday, Aug. 27.
View all documents related to the appeal here. To view the Code of Ordinances, click here.
... written by Downtown Lafayette , August 26, 2010 - 05:59 pm
This is purely a reaction to Karma having a majority black customer base. Fights happen at every nightclub almost every night. This will end up in a Federal court and the city will have their little hind parts whipped...again.
... written by Odessa Goodwin , August 26, 2010 - 08:46 pm
I am getting bad karma about this.
... written by Rinkelstein , August 26, 2010 - 08:55 pm
Karma has a mostly black customer base? I thought they were more of a steroid junky hang out?
I remeber the night they opened. I walked by the front door on the way to the Green Room. I asked the bouncer how it was in there and he replied, "it's about a hundred dudes trying to dance on two girls."
... written by Southsider , August 26, 2010 - 11:47 pm
And you know this to be true by what facts? Oh, you don't have any. Trying to play the race card i see?
... written by ragin_cajun , August 27, 2010 - 01:44 am
"Office of Alcohol and Noise Control"--
They actually have an office for that, and a "director"? Does this not sound like some kind of distopian science fiction novel to anyone?
... written by Former Employee , August 27, 2010 - 01:52 am
I used to work at Karma and we had all the same issues when it was a "White" club as it does now. The club I work at now has more fights than Karma ever will and no one messes with us because we are not downtown and are not a "Hip Hop" club. Racism 2010!! Alive and Well!
... written by D. Corleone , August 27, 2010 - 05:05 pm
Hey Downtown Lafayette- Learn to lose.
... written by Downtown Lafayette , August 27, 2010 - 05:42 pm
"Godfather" I will try, but I will never be as good at it as you are now.
... written by the truth , August 28, 2010 - 11:01 pm
bottom line is that your Chief of Police has a personal issue with hip hop and the majority black crowd downtown. Would you rather them in the club or out on streets.. no one can determine when or where there will be a fight. So I guess everywhere black kids go now, they are going to be considered to be a nuisance...
... written by Finally it's coming out , August 29, 2010 - 02:05 am
I second that, but it does not stop there soon all the citizens of Lafayette will finally see how far this agenda to shut Karma down extends. There is a group of leaders downtown that has joined together to shut down a group of gentleman that actually run a clean entertainment business that extends further than just Karma. These people know who they are and some are very close to the actual club. As a matter of fact If I'm correct this is his second go round pulling the buddy system with his best friend Craft to try and shut down Karma because he hates the clientel Karma provides entertainment too. I promise you soon he will be exposed for the under the table crook he is. If you don't know who I'm talking about just go watch one Saturday night you'll see him running paying customers off who have just as much rights as he does with his pepper spray and his flash light. The good will prevail and the crooks that are in power will be exposed. They tried with Mr. Cloutier and they lost, it's all about to come To the surface wait and see
... written by BFD , August 30, 2010 - 04:51 pm
Who cares? Tobe's with their ed hardy look alike shirts will find somewhere else to fist pump.
... written by DOWNTOWN , August 30, 2010 - 06:10 pm
BFD your and idiot...LOL, These forums are for the productive people of our city not morons like you that having nothing useful to say.... Best part is your prob one of those little guys that lost your girlfirend to a meat head....
... written by The Truth , August 31, 2010 - 02:41 pm
Downtown, Since you are obviously an upstanding citizen could you please provide solutions to the problem before being so critical of another persons comment. I think the aroma of the starch on your bedazzled silverstar shirt is making you afflicted. Please go and dance with the other 99 dudes and 2 girls.
... written by BFD , August 31, 2010 - 03:00 pm
Downtown...
Definition of a Toby:
n) A term used throughout south Louisiana to refer a young, lower to lower-middle class white male who embodies a combination of wigger, white trash and "coonass" stereotypes. The overall toby aesthetic, however, is not limited to the aforementioned stereotypes, and often shows influences typically associated with guidos, mid-to-late 90's "preps" or jocks, and even suburban American ravers. (adj) exhibiting traits commonly associated with tobies typical elements of toby style include: - "fade" haircuts, often with heavily gelled and/or highlighted bangs - an affinity for color schemes involving yellow and baby blue - poorly-executed tattoos (usually tribal or just "ghetto") - high-top athletic shoes (usually Nike) - white baseball caps (worn backwards) - visors (less popular in recent years) - a "dirt lip" or "rat-stache" - puka shell necklaces - low-slung basketball shorts or baggy plaid board shorts - "wifebeater" undershirts - pierced ears (fake diamond studs or tiny hoops) - tongue and eyebrow piercings - cheap hip-hop-inspired jewelry "Check out that toby with 4 his tasha-ass girlfriend..."
"Who? The one with the neck tattoo?"
"No the one with the Fox racing t-shirt. His bangs look like little icicles."
The day I lose a girl to a "meat head/Toby" in Karma I'll jump off a cliff... Check that the day I step foot in Karma I'll jump off a cliff.
... written by The Truth , August 31, 2010 - 03:28 pm
BFD, Is that Shakespeare?
... written by Why is that.... , August 31, 2010 - 08:16 pm
BFD you must be refering to Cowboys, Ricochet, and Daiquiris. Obviously you and the truth have need been to Karma in a while you dont see to many Toby's running around. The whole issue here is Thats the city is trying to shut a buiss down that has done nothing but good buiss. Your buddy next door hates the black people and has been stuffing his nose so far up Jim Crafts rear that he taste shit in every meal. Why is it wrong for the black people to have a place to go? Is downtown just for the white people?
... written by anonymous , September 01, 2010 - 05:09 pm
I have worked at bars on the strip as well as downtown and there will always be fights, there will always be underage drinking, there will always be shady activity going on with bar owners, there will always be crooked law enforcement, and there will always be drug activity. If not at Karma it will just happen elsewhere. I do recall a shooting happening not to long ago at the pub on the strip and that place is still open for business. I understand the world would be complete chaos without rules and laws but shutting a bar down for the reasons listed above sounds pretty ridiculous considering this goes on in most bars in south Louisiana. This is clearly an issue of who does not like who around here!
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