Two Virginia Beach nightclubs, “Central 111 Tapas and Lounge” and its neighboring “Venue 112 Sports Lounge,” have closed permanently months after a deadly shooting took place outside the businesses.
On Friday, reactions to the closures were mixed. Some people feel safer without the nightclubs, while others are disappointed.
“It was devastating to hear that they were closing,” a Virginia Beach resident said. “That’s actually an after-work spot that me and coworkers have gone to after work in the past.”
However, many residents feel relieved about the decision, saying the closures followed the fatal September shooting in the parking lot, which prompted the city to intervene.
“We needed to see what we could do to make this a better environment for the community,” Virginia Beach City Councilman Stacy Cummings said.
After the shooting, Cummings became involved and pushed for stronger restrictions. The landlords responded by changing the allowed operating hours, forcing both clubs to close at 11 p.m. instead of 2 a.m.
Following the new rules, Cummings said the owners agreed to give up their ABC license and end their lease.
“Many of the shops there do just a tremendous business, provide a tremendous service to the community, but these two establishments just do not fit into that scenario,” Cummings said.
While Cummings believes the closures will benefit the area, he told 13News Now he does not want to discourage business and emphasized that there is an appropriate place for everything.
We contacted the owner of the nightclubs for comment Friday morning and are still waiting to hear back.
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