Coscarelli’s and L.A. Globe top Lansing’s list of liquor law violations.
L.A. Globe, 6810 S. Cedar St., also tops a list along with The Dollar Nightclub, 3411 E. Michigan Ave., for the most police reports in the city, according to Lansing police.
Although the Lansing City Council has requested a review of L.A. Globe and Coscarelli’s, 2420 S. Cedar St., Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said his department will not ask the council to review The Dollar.
“We have a number of concerns in reference to activity at The Dollar, but they have taken proactive steps to reduce their issues,” Hall said. “The action that The Dollar has taken so far serves as an example of what a business establishment serving alcohol will do to try to correct their problems.”
Hall said the actions The Dollar agreed to take, such as adding security and closing earlier, were rejected by the other two bars.
Americ Joslin, The Dollar’s general manager, was not available for comment Monday.
And some students are happy The Dollar’s doors aren’t in jeopardy of closing.
“Everybody here calls it ‘The Dirty Dollar’ for a reason,” said Charles Kao, a kinesiology freshman. “People who go there are the hard-core partyers.”
Police were called to L.A. Globe and The Dollar 85 times since Jan. 1, 1999, and L.A. Globe and Coscarelli’s received 10 and 12 liquor law violations, respectively, since 1996.
Police were called to L.A. Globe for reasons ranging from parking complaints to shots being fired in the parking lot.
City Attorney Jim Smiertka said The Dollar may have the same amount of police reports as L.A. Globe, but “nobody has requested any action through the office.”
City council members voted March 19 to recommend the Michigan Liquor Control Commission block the May 1 renewal of L.A. Globe’s liquor license.
“It’s been a problem for quite some time,” Councilmember Sandy Allen said. “There have been fights there and what we call a mini riot.
“It’s created such a problem for the businesses around the area as well.”
Allen also said she doesn’t recall the council’s actions preceding that of the liquor commissions.
Maura Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Department of Consumer and Industry Services, a division of the state’s liquor control commission, said L.A. Globe’s case is rare.
“At this juncture, it looks very likely that the bar would be closing,” Campbell said.
She said the commission was considering to shut the bar’s doors in April for six days, but decided to wait until after the city council recommended not to renew the liquor license.
One of the bar’s owners, Charles Gordon, who could not be reached for comment Monday, has filed complaints of racial discrimination with the Michigan Civil Rights Commission against the city over its dealings with the business. The owners have said the bar is targeted by police because the patrons are predominantly black.
Smiertka is recommending that the city council remove Coscarelli’s license, too. A committee recommendation on the restaurant is expected May 16.
