District Shuts Down Teenage Nightclub

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty today ordered the immediate closure of the popular teen nightclub Club Bounce in Northwest, after a series of violent incidents in and around the Chinatown establishment over the past three months.

Fenty, joined by Acting Attorney General Peter Nickles, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Cathy L. Lanier and Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Director Linda K. Argo, said the city is immediately suspending the business licenses of Abdul Productions Inc., owners and promoters of the club located at 915 F Street, NW. Through a Mayoral Order dated today, the suspension is effective immediately.

“We need to protect the youth of the District of Columbia,” said Mayor Fenty.  “We cannot allow our children to patronize a club operated by a company with such a poor record of providing adequate security and control of its establishments in this city.”

The marketing and operation of the night club targets both District and suburban youth and has resulted in approximately 300-500 additional youngsters loitering in the 900 block of F Street. This large influx of youth on Saturday nights has led to numerous incidents of disorderly and violent conduct in the vicinity.  Club Bounce can accommodate up to1300 patrons at one time.

Since mid-September 2008, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has picked up about 80 youth in Chinatown for violating the District’s weekend curfew regulations; many of the youth arrested attended Club Bounce earlier in the evening.  Club Bounce closes at 11 p.m.; one hour before the District’s weekend curfew time of 12:00 a.m. MPD deploys 20-25 additional officers each Saturday nights that the club is open to respond to the public safety problems posed by disorderly youths.  

More than two dozen requests for police and emergency medical service have been received since the club’s August 23 opening, with the most recent incident occurring on October 18 when two groups of youths were in armed confrontation with gunshots fired.

The suspension and cancellation of Abdul Productions’ license to serve alcoholic beverages at 915 F Street, N.W., followed a history of failures in its operation of the premises. The company’s liquor license was suspended for the same location in March 2008 after a history of negligence and failure to provide proper security measures and to maintain order. The Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board permanently cancelled the liquor license in June 2008. Abdul Production also had its liquor license cancelled for its H2O nightclub, at 800 Maine Avenue, SW, earlier this month for similar infractions.


“To protect the lives of youths and the health, comfort and quiet of all citizens in the Chinatown area on Saturday nights, it is necessary to suspend and revoke Abdul Productions’ basic business licenses endorsed for the operation of a public hall and for the operation of a restaurant at 915 F Street, N.W., Washington D.C., said Acting Attorney General Peter Nickles.

The company will have the opportunity to request a hearing on the suspension and revocation with the city’s Office of Administrative Hearings.