Board 1 Turns Down Club's Cabaret License
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

Ensconced between 25th and 27th Avenues at the side of the BQE an establishment at 26-44 Borough Pl., was not immediately familiar. But once the name Club Casino and its violent history were recalled, Community Board 1 denied a cabaret license for a proposed new nightclub lounge at the same location.

"There was a nightclub there before," acknowledged Peter Flores, an attorney representing the owner of the building, Thomas Flannanagan, at a public hearing held in Astoria on September 18.

"We had a lot of issues at Club Casino," said Inspector Brian McCarthy, commanding officer of the 114th Police Precinct. "We should think abut this." In March, 2006, four men were shot when a fight that began inside the club spilled out into a nearby parking lot.

Flannanagan, who also owns a bar and restaurant bearing his name in Manhattan, said he bought the building at a foreclosure auction two years ago. He took over the property on June 1, 2007 after evicting the occupants.

"It was a nightmare for me to get the previous tenant out. I never received one dime in rent," Flannanagan said.

"Did you know anything about the history of the place?" asked Board Member Fran Luhman McDonald.

"I found out about it after I bought it," Flannanagan said. He also stated for the record, "There will be no adult entertainment" at the proposed new club.

After noting the maximum occupancy of 850 people for the building, Consumer Affairs Committee Chairperson Joe Risi asked what kind of entertainment or music would be offered.

Flores said outside promoters would be brought in on some nights, while on other nights entertainment or music would be provided by the house.

"Promoters were the problem the first time around," McCarthy said. "There were four shootings and two stabbings in 2006 at Club Casino. All of our problems in this community can be directed to promoters. We don't want [outside] promoters bringing violence into this community."

"We're aware that we're going to have to work closely with you, even for traffic, to keep things safe," Flores said. One board member specifically mentioned hip-hop music as associated with violence.

Flores, who said he was a child of hip-hop music, disagreed, "I don't think the music itself is the problem. Everyone who listens to hip-hop music or attends hip-hop music events is not a criminal."

"I wouldn't just single out hip-hop music to bring to a venue," he said. "That wouldn't be fair." Salsa music and dancing were previously featured at Club Casino.

Flores said security would be licensed and bonded and Flannanagan said there would be one security person for every 50 customers at the club, which Flores said would be ready to open in about a month or so.

But if the new club, to be called Damascus, does open it will have to be without a cabaret license, which means no dancing, if the Department of Consumer Affairs follows the board's recommendation.