City responds to nightclub brawls

The city’s Finance Department is reviewing the status of the club’s business license following at least two assaults and four arrests that occurred at Traffic, 220 Walnut, early Saturday. Springfield police were called after a patron assaulted a club employee and fights broke out among other patrons in the street.

City officials also are exploring state liquor control laws that, if invoked in Springfield, could prohibit alcohol sales and consumption for up to a year at an establishment cited for disorderly conduct.

“We believe the nightclub has become a nuisance, and we’re not going to allow behavior of this type,” said City Attorney Dan Wichmer. “The city has worked very hard to improve downtown and we’re proud of what it has accomplished.”

Wichmer said he and four police officers met with the manager of Traffic several weeks ago following a violent incident that left one person injured.

“We informed him that if they didn’t curb the problem inside their establishment and didn’t take a more aggressive action, we would look to all available avenues,” Wichmer said.

Traffic owner Michael Ngo said he plans to meet with city officials later today to discuss the future of his club.

“We don’t know what the problem is, but I do care about my business and the kind of problem I create,” he said. “We’ll solve it one way or another.”

Urban Districts Alliance Executive Director Rusty Worley has been meeting with downtown businesses this week to caution them against similar disturbances. Meanwhile, UDA is developing Responsible Hospitality – a program for urban districts to better manage the challenges of having a dense concentration of bars, restaurants and clubs.

Regardless of the city’s actions, Ngo said, changes already have been made to Traffic’s rules. Effective immediately, the club’s dress code bans baggy clothing, hats, jerseys and collarless shirts. Music will be limited to Top 40 songs, and urban or rap music with curse words is prohibited, Ngo said.

“I know it’s going to turn a lot of customers away, but I don’t want to see anyone get hurt,” he said. “If they’re willing to change, then they’re welcome in the club.”

Ngo credits the recent brawls and reports of other violence to a new crowd of patrons who began coming to Traffic after Intensity Nightclub closed earlier this year.

For more information on Traffic nightclub and other downtown nightclubs, see the Oct. 31 issue of SBJ.