There isn’t enough for teenagers to do in Peoria, so Barry Dorsey wants to do something about it.
Dorsey of Peoria wants to reopen 815 SW Adams St. and call it Club Rio, named in honor of Mario McGee, who, at age 19, was shot and killed Feb. 7, 2009, at his mother’s house on Corrington Avenue.
But Dorsey’s plans need approval from a skeptical city, which is unsure about exactly what will be opening inside a place once called The Rock Christian Entertainment Complex, Club Incognito, Izm, The Taste, among other names and ownerships.
It has been closed since the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Teddy Jackson in 2008 while he worked as a security guard.
“The teens have nothing to do on the weekends,” said Dorsey, who also said this would be the first club he’s operated.
“If we can get good security, get the teens in and to eat and drink and mingle, I think it would personally bring down the crime rate of the younger generation.”
Mordecai Harris, a promoter with MoWaun Entertainment and a supporter of the project, said the venue can serve as a place for teens to go, and for the city to avoid the constant complaint that there isn’t enough in Peoria for them to do.
“A lot of venues in Peoria will not open their doors for anything that has to do with youths,” Harris said. “I think it’s crucial for the city.”
Dorsey needs approval from City Hall before he can open the club, which has been closed for more than one year. On Monday, a meeting will be held among city department officials to analyze Dorsey’s application to see whether the club should open.
Exactly what the club will be is undetermined. Dorsey and Harris said it will be geared toward youths, but Harris also said people of all ages can go to it.
Dorsey said there could be arcade games and pool tables; Harris said live bands and entertainment could perform there as well.
Determining what it is could play a part in if the City Council has a say on whether the club opens.
A youth dance hall license is required to open a teen club in Peoria, and it’s up to the City Council to approve it.
None currently exists within city limits, and the most recent request for one – the Adrenaline at 7620 N. University St. – was denied in 2008 because the proposed club would have been closer than 500 feet to residents.
That doesn’t appear to be an issue with Club Rio, according to at-large City Councilman Eric Turner.
But Turner said he’s concerned about the club being a liability for the city.
“You get 200 to 300 kids in these buildings, you are setting yourself up for a major disaster,” Turner said. “If (a fire) occurs, then people will blame the city.”
Peoria Fire Capt. Dan McGann said the building’s former owners upgraded the building’s sprinkler system and fire alarms. He said another safety check will be conducted by the Fire Department.
He said capacity inside the club will be about 250 to 300 people.
The club has been the site of shootings in the past, including an incident in 2004 at Club Incognito during a post-party for hip-hop artist Ja Rule and the 2008 fatal shooting.
Dorsey, who didn’t find out about the 2008 shooting until after he leased the building, said there have been problems at other clubs in the city, such as at Club Apollo and L.A. Connections, and that they haven’t received the same scrutiny as 815 SW Adams St.
Herman Hobson, 18, an Illinois Central College student and Dorsey’s stepson, doesn’t believe youths will be frightened of the club. He said the place would help keep teens out of trouble.
“I plan on opening the facility to give them something to do,” Dorsey said.
John Sharp can be reached at [email protected].
Read the original article from Journal Star.
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