BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN).........Frustration over a dramatic change co-mingling restrictions on Chippewa Street establishments, the owner of two of the venues has filed a lawsuit against the City of Buffalo.
Tim Walton, event manager of Venu and Bottom's Up - two Chippewa Street event centers that, up until recently, hosted weekly Thursday co-minglig events.
"This is the last thing we wanted to do," Walton said.
The lawsuit is the latest salvo in what has become an increasingly tense relationship with the owners of some Chippewa Street establishments and Mayor Sean Ryan's admiinistration.
Ryan is trying to restore Chippewa Street to its entertainment district, patron-friendly vibe as part of his agenda to reviving downtown Buffalo's economic and social swagger.
Co-mingling - an event where people between 18 and 21 years of age, mostly college-age students, go to places like Venu or Bottom's Up for a social event that is highlighted by music and just hanging out. Most co-mingling events end by 10 p.m.
Walton said he has been operating under those conditions - approved by the Buffalo Common Council in 2016 - with few incidents.
But, in a backlash to back-to-back violent July weekends, city leaders began a crackdown on Chippewa Street and its establishment owners and operators including, in early September, imposing tougher rules regarding co-mingling events.
Those rules, including prohibiting anyone younger than 21 from entering any Chippewa bar, restaurant or establishment, have effectively killed co-mingling events.
Walton said he received a cease-and-desist order from Buffalo's corporation counsel office just hours before a mid-August co-mingling event was scheduled at Venu.
Walton had to cancel two August events that cost him more than $100,000 in lost revenues.
In September, Walton got a second letter from Buffalo basically thwarting any efforts to stage co-mingling events.
"There was no clarification," Walton said. "It seems like everyone in City Hall is working off a different page and shifting the blame around. As an operator, I have no clear path."
Representatives from Mayor Sean Ryan's office declined to comment.
Ryan has taken a "get tough" stance against any disruptive event on Chippewa Street.
Earlier this week, he ordered the Cowboy shut down after its owner was allegedly involved in a stabbing incident.
Walton said he'd prefer not to be in a legal battle with the Ryan administration and Common Councll.
"I still want to work with the city," Walton said.
Denial of co-mingling permit leads to lawsuit
Denial of co-mingling permit leads to lawsuit
