FORT WORTH, Texas — The City of Fort Worth is attempting to block popular bar Varsity Tavern from reopening under a new name in Fort Worth’s West 7th neighborhood.
The city filed a protest late Wednesday with the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission asking the agency to not provide a new permit to the bar, which is attempting to reopen under the name Tequila Ranch.
“It drains an enormous amount of our police department resources that could be and should be used in our neighborhoods to keep our residents safe,” Fort Worth councilwoman Elizabeth Beck said.
The bar, which had closed in January, falls in Beck’s district. She said, after a meeting with its owners, she decided the new concept would hurt the neighborhood.
“What became abundantly clear was that it was going to be Varsity Tavern in cowboy boots,” she said.
The TABC says the bar had six violations in the last two years.
The city’s protest lists traffic, crime and the roughly 30 bars in the neighborhood as reasons to block it.
“When you have that many inebriated people in such a small area, it attracts a certain level of chaos,” Beck said.
The bar also faced complaints its dress code was discriminatory.
“It seemed to be their tool in keeping the chaos down was discriminatory practices, and we need folks that have better toolboxes to do business in Fort Worth,” Beck said.
“The cultural district has a lot going on,” Dustin Van Orne, a board member for the Cultural District Alliance, said. “There’s a lot of opportunity for residential living. Restaurants are moving back.”
Van Orne was optimistic the property could be part of neighboring redevelopment happening in the area. He says Varsity’s owners weren’t collaborative with other businesses.
“I think there are certain bars that may not be the best fit for the neighborhood,” he said.
Varsity’s owner could not be reached for comment Thursday.
“We don’t want to run out every bar from the West 7th area,” Beck said. “But we do want to make sure we have the right partners operating in the city of Fort Worth.
The TABC will now review the protest. If it advances, an administrative judge will hear from both sides and make a ruling. A permit won’t be issued while the protest is under review.
TABC added that Varsity’s permit is still valid through the end of October.
Beck and Van Orne both want a business that helps fuel future growth.
“The more participation we have from businesses, the better the neighborhood will be,” Van Orne said. “We’ll all benefit from it.”