Following a slew of incidents, Dream Niteclub — formerly known as Studio 4 — is facing increased scrutiny from the city of Ann Arbor, leading to potential ramifications including the revocation of its liquor license.
The most recent event occurred on May 1, when an unknown man injured three people in a brawl, according to Brian Jatczak, a sergeant in the Ann Arbor Police Department’s Detective Bureau. The recent assault and ongoing police search is one of a number of troubles the club’s management has faced with unruly patrons, according to Ann Arbor City Council member Mike Anglin (D–Ward 5) and has become cause for concern.
The suspect, a 5-foot-5, 240-pound African-American man between 25-30 years of age wearing a black shirt and black pants, was likely among a group who had been kicked out of the club earlier that night for fighting. The suspect is assumed to have returned at 1:15 a.m., where he subsequently punched a 20-year-old man from Superior Township who is suspected of being involved in the earlier brawl, Jatczak said.
According to Jatczak, the fight that ensued between the suspect, the victim and the victim’s 21-year-old friend, ended when club bouncers tackled the three men. The victim suffered cuts on his cheek and neck, the victim’s friend received a cut above his eye, and a third victim — a 21-year-old Ann Arbor woman — received a laceration on her leg after the suspect fell on her.
While all three victims sought medical attention at the University of Michigan Hospital, Jatczak said, the suspect fled the club in a maroon vehicle.
Anglin said he thinks the club should keep better watch over their clients and keep an eye on customers that have raised concern in the past.
“If there are people coming into the clubs who are like that, the people at the door should know who they are,” Anglin said. “And that’s basically a club that’s very well-run, to have people there on a consistent basis who know their clientele and can identify the people coming through the door.”
As a result of the incident, the club may also face the threat of the city revoking its liquor license, Anglin said.
“There are standards,” Anglin said. “And what’ll happen is maybe the club owner will be asked to come in before the liquor commission and explain what happened … and explain to us what rules they’re going to follow that they might not have followed in this instance.”
The club has been subject for scrutiny since last year, when current Dream Niteclub manager Vickash Mangray operated the club under the name Studio 4. On February 19, 2010, the city attorney filed a public nuisance lawsuit against Mangray and Papa Chulo’s, the company that subleases the property.
The litigation, which the city later dropped without prejudice — meaning the case can be reopened at any time — reported over 200 logged calls about Studio 4 to the Ann Arbor Police Department between 2007 and 2010 according to a September 14, 2010 article in The Michigan Daily.