Three-and-a-half hours wasn’t enough time for the Chattanooga Beer and Wrecker Board to hear six violations related to the Blue Light, a new club that police say is “a time bomb waiting to go off” and could be the next Coyote Jacks, a now-closed nightclub that was the scene of several shootings.
Blue Light is in the Chattanooga Choo Choo complex on Station Street in the space that formerly housed Revelry Room and Songbirds South. Its patio space adjoins the Comedy Catch and its Backstage Bar. Several other restaurants – Stir, Frothy Monkey, Regan’s Place and Westbound Bar – are nearby.
Because the city’s court reporter had a prior engagement, the meeting, which started a little after 9 a.m., was terminated around 12:30 p.m., and the final two Blue Light violations were moved to the next meeting on Nov. 18. Before that, the bar, which is co-owned by WGOW-FM 102.3 radio host Brian Joyce, was punished for four violations occurring in September and October.
Each case was heard separately and resulted in a three-day suspension or a $1,000 fine, with the suspension to run from Nov. 19-21, a letter of reprimand, a five-day suspension to run Nov. 26-28 and two three-day suspensions to run Dec. 3-5 and Dec. 10-12.
Regarding the first case, the bar must also have all of its employees, including Joyce and co-owner Joseph Bruns, complete within 30 days the city’s new certification class for selling beer. That’s on top of already being required to get certified by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, a requirement for establishments selling liquor.