Fort Worth Residents Continue Their Fight Against Downtown Hooters

The debate over bringing a Hooters restaurant location to downtown Fort Worth rages on.

Tuesday brought the latest twist in the saga, as residents protested before the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission over concerns about issuing a liquor license.

There are hundreds of Hooters locations around the country, including in the downtown areas of many major cities, like Dallas.

A Hooters executive, in fact, testified that the success of the Hooters' Dallas West End location was a major factor in the company's desire to add a location to downtown Fort Worth.

But a group of downtown Fort Worth residents and concerned neighbors have protested bringing a Hooters there for a year now. The group calls itself the "Downtown Fort Worth Families and Neighbors Committee."

The protesters have had much success so far. After protest meetings and petitions, Hooters corporate has compromised and made changes to their patio permit application as well as their design permit application and also their signage locations and size.

Corporate owners told NBC 5 earlier this year had hoped to get the restaurant and bar up and running this summer. That's not happening and it's unclear if Hooters has a new opening date in mind.

Tuesday's protest before the TABC addressed concerns about the bar being so close to historic churches and downtown residences; and concerns about over-serving customers and bringing in disorderly conduct late at night.

Many people who live nearby say there are already many bars in the area; and they argue that after being around for two-generations now, Hooters isn’t known for drawing a wild and dangerous crowd.

"Actually, it’s in every city you go to, you see a Hooters. So I really don’t see why it’s such a big deal to everybody," said 20-year-old Whitney Champion, who lives in Arlington and frequents the Hooters there.

"I go there all the time and I have fun. It’s not like I go there and I’m offended by the people who work there or anything like that," she said.

Mayor Betsy Price testified Tuesday against the proposed downtown location.

Sundance Square executives also spoke out against the proposed Hooters location.