The owner of a Grand Prairie nightclub that police say threatens the city's safety says the city is racially profiling her business and its clientele.
Police Chief Steve Dye told the Planning and Zoning Commission last week that police had responded to 134 calls at XO Discotec in one year, more than anywhere else in the city.
"The club is only open about a little more than 100 nights a year, so you can see the huge drain on the public safety resources that number of calls takes," city spokeswoman Amy Sprinkles said.
But Maria Chivera, who owns the club near West Jefferson Street and South Great Southwest Parkway, and her spokesman, Carlos Quintanilla, say the accusations are unfounded.
"There has never been an arrest made inside the club," Quintanilla said. "There has never been an arrest outside the premises."
Dye said the calls have included calls for shootings and stabbings.
"Officers inside the bar observed several TABC violations, the smell of burning marijuana, fights, intoxicated people -- some underage -- and numerous disturbances," he said.
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Quintanilla said the city is unfairly targeting the minority-owned business and its clientele.
"The police department and its chief have engaged in premeditated unlawful racial profiling against blacks and Hispanics," Quintanilla said. "There has got to be concrete evidence. You cannot take a woman's livelihood and $150,000 investment and say, 'We're going to close you down because you serve black youth.'"
The City Council will address the issue for the first time on April 16 and will vote on whether or not to revoke XO Discotec's special-use permit for alcohol.
