ABC Commission suspends permits for University City night club

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The ABC permits for El Centenario Night Club near University City were suspended by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission on Saturday.

Officials with the ABC Commission said recent social media posts on the night club’s Facebook page were factors in the suspension. Social media posts included advertisements and videos inside the business which showed large crowds of people, according to officials.

Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris also sent a statement to the ABC Commision on Friday saying El Centenario was in violation of the governor’s order.

The ABC Commission said the suspension will be in effect until the case is heard by the Office of Administrative Hearings.

El Centenario has opened several times during the pandemic despite Gov. Roy Cooper’s “Safer at Home” executive order.

In September, the ABC Commission sent a letter warning that the owner’s alcohol permits may be in jeopardy if he tried to reopen again.

Channel 9′s government reporter Joe Bruno sat down with the club’s owner, who explained because of the pandemic shutdown, he’s lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and dozens of people lost their jobs.

He also said he applied for some business loans, but he had not heard any responses. He opened for a few weeks in July and said the money he made then got him to this point. But, he said he didn’t think he had enough money to last him until Oct. 2.

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Cox Media Group