Local Business Owner Plans to Sue TABC
By: Lisa Carr
Updated: September 18, 2008
A local strip club owner is planning to sue the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for hundreds of thousands of dollars. He says he's been treated unfairly based on the type of business he owns.
Jeff Russell bought the Players Club at 35th and Avenue Q back in January. He opened it as a bikini bar and got caught selling liquor without a license. Russell claims he has tried at least twice to apply for a liquor license, but he claims the TABC refuses to work with him ... probably because Players has always been known as a sexually oriented business. The TABC says they have no problem with the location of Players or the type of business it is. They haven't been able to approve a liquor license for the club because of the applicant and his lies on the applications.
Jeff Russell bought the Players Club at 35th and Avenue Q back in January. He opened it as a bikini bar and got caught selling liquor without a license. Russell claims he has tried at least twice to apply for a liquor license, but he claims the TABC refuses to work with him ... probably because Players has always been known as a sexually oriented business. The TABC says they have no problem with the location of Players or the type of business it is. They haven't been able to approve a liquor license for the club because of the applicant and his lies on the applications.
The spokesman for Players says, "It's a problem of crossing the 'T's' and dotting the 'I's'. They're just gonna find a reason to reject it." TABC Sergeant Michael Lockhart says, "In this case, the problem was with the applicant it was not with the location so, if an appropriate applicant were to come along and do their business above board, we'd be happy with him. It's one more business for the community."
Russell is in the process of filing the lawsuit. He says he'll be suing for at least $400,000. The TABC says if he sues, they'll be ready to handle it.
