Booze Banned at The Boogie for 20 Days

The Boogie, a popular nightclub that attracts young people from all over Southern California, has had its license to sell alcohol suspended for 20 days, beginning Thursday. The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control suspended the license because of lewd behavior by performers at the club a year ago.

The ABC has suspended Boogie’s license twice previously, once for the sale of alcohol to an intoxicated person and once when employees sold drugs to undercover officers. The department also twice fined the club $6,000 for selling alcohol to minors.

In the last two months, police have arrested 12 people in sting operations at the club for selling drugs to undercover officers. If the offenses continue, The Boogie could lose its alcohol license, said Anaheim police spokesman Rick Martinez.

Jack Wade, owner of The Boogie, said the club maintains tight security but can’t control the actions of the 5,000 to 6,000 patrons who come through its doors every week. He said the fines and suspensions have come over a 10-year period.

“We run a great club,” Wade said. “We just get a lot of people coming through here.”

The most recent license suspension is only one of several problems facing The Boogie. Nearby businesses complain of Boogie patrons parking in their lots and creating a nuisance every weekend.

*

Loud clubgoers, who sometimes get in fights, disturb guests during the early morning and often litter the area with beer bottles, said Jeff Pank, general manager of the Peacock Suites hotel. Pank said the situation is so bad he has to station an employee in the hotel’s parking lot every night.

He said a family-oriented entertainment business would be optimal for that location because it is a few blocks from Disneyland, within the Anaheim Resort Area.

Wade objects to the complaints. He’s run nightclubs at The Boogie’s location for 23 years. The parking problem resulted when extensive construction for the resort area eliminated about 40% of The Boogie’s parking. The restoration of 220 parking spaces six weeks ago has eliminated a lot of the problems, he said.

But Police Sgt. Paul Dolman said even with the additional parking, the problems haven’t gone away. Police still get complaints about Boogie patrons parking illegally. And over the last year, since The Boogie lowered the age of admission to 18, police have responded to shootings, a stabbing, fights, public drunkenness and public urination. They now patrol the area nightly.

Wade said he does everything he can to keep patrons from causing trouble. He has employees on seven bicycles, a car and three golf carts to keep troublemakers in check. Employees also go undercover to make sure no drugs are sold, he said.

Wade accuses police of focusing on The Boogie because it’s in the resort area and said the scrutiny is unfair. “I’m just a guy trying to run a business,” he said.

Judy Silber can be reached at (714) 966-5988.