By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
August 10, 2011

Eric Union and his wife, Natasha, wanted to run a reputable night club called Xpressions.

Since opening in late December, however, the club at 220 Admiral Blvd. has experienced numerous problems.

As first-time club owners, the Unions’ inexperience also played against them and on Aug. 4, the Kansas City Liquor Control Board of Review voted to revoke their liquor license.

Board members made the decision following nearly nine hours of testimony from witnesses, community members and presentations of evidence.

“The owners are really nice folks, but that doesn’t play into it,” Kansas City’s Regulated Industries Manager Gary Majors told Northeast News. “What plays into it is have you done what’s requested of your probation and that’s to maintain an orderly place and not cause an adverse impact to the character of the neighborhood.”

Last year, the city passed an ordinance requiring all new liquor license permits to be under a six month probationary period, he said.

Before Xpressions took over, the club formerly known as Club NRG had a history of disturbances and violence, Majors said.

Majors warned the couple about the club’s tainted past and offered advice on remedying the issues.

“Our hope was that it was a management issue and that those issues would go away with different owners and maybe with a different concept,” Majors said.

Since opening at the end of December 2010, the club has tallied 31 disturbance calls to police, despite the presence of private security in and around the building.

Six calls dealt with weapons, two were homicides linked back to patrons of the club and other calls included assaults on security and bouncers and four calls for ambulance service, among others.

In addition, the business caused “horrendous” traffic problems, Majors said.

On March 20, 2011, a drunk driver drove the wrong way down a one street, flipped his vehicle into reverse and hit two parked cars, three police cars, a pedestrian and a security guard from the club. His vehicle came to rest on the sidewalk in front of Xpressions. The driver blew a .170 blood alcohol count reading.

Bouncers threw out numerous patrons for verbal or physical altercations, said patrol officer with Kansas City Patrol and Protection Unit David Lobaugh.

Kansas City Patrol and Protection Unit took over security at the club after the previous security, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, quit after a week.

After four months of providing security, the Kansas City Patrol and Protection Unit also pulled its officers.

Lobaugh said the Unions refused to hire adequate numbers of security officers.

“We decided it was unsafe for us to be there unless we had more people. That’s why we pulled out,” Lobaugh said.

Lobaugh told Northeast News the club let in minors on several occasions and that he saw baggies with drug remnants on the bathroom floor. Patrons also tried to bring in weapons, he said.

Numerous officers with Kansas City Patrol and Protection Unit complained about the head bouncer, Josh.

“His demeanor did not fit the role (of bouncer) because some of the incidents I witnessed firsthand was him grabbing males and females by the throat and throwing them off the steps to where myself and the other officers had to catch them to keep them from getting hurt,” Kansas City Patrol and Protection Unit Officer Scott Dennis told the board.

Lobaugh said Josh routinely instigated fights and would put both males and females in choke holds. One person passed out from Josh’s grip.

“He (Josh) choked him so much he passed out and we had to carry him out. We didn’t agree with what he was doing,” Lobaugh said.

The Unions’ lawyer Gregory Vleisides, of Vleisides & O’Leary law offices, implied the Kansas City Patrol and Protection Unit had a vendetta against the Unions since the Unions terminated the security company’s contract. Vleisides also argued a number of reported incidents occurred blocks or miles away from the club and that the Unions could not be held responsible for those incidents.

“They (Unions) have no previous experience owning or running a night club,” he said. “They have attempted to comply with everything that’s been asked of them (by Regulated Industries and the Kansas City Police Department).

“There have not been the incidents claimed. Instead, there’s been a long history of harassment by Regulated Industries and the police department.”

The Unions met with Regulated Industries several times to address issues and resolve them, he said.

During her testimony, Mrs. Union said she and her husband made efforts to keep the club safe by enforcing a dress code, creating 25 and older nights, offering a designated driver program, offering a variety of events to attract different crowds and hiring security.

After listening to further testimony, including concerns from community members, the board voted to revoke the Union’s liquor license. Since the Unions violated the probation and failed to obtain the necessary written consents from neighbors, the board said it had no choice but to revoke the liquor license.

“We really feel like we gave them every chance to succeed, but it comes down to how many young people have to die so you can keep your business? Or how many people have to move out and have their lives totally interrupted because of one business?” Majors said. “I think for the most part, their (Unions) intentions were good. I just think that location, size of the building, and the history of the club was just too much for them to overcome.”