The Tigerland bar where 19-year-old student Madison Brooks was with four men who are facing rape charges, has had their liquor license suspended by the state. East Baton Rouge Alcoholic Beverage Control Board member Scott Wilfong said while the state investigates Reggie’s Bar, it’s out of their hands.
“We don’t have to take any further action until the state was looking at possibly giving them back the license. Then if we wanted them to stay closed we’d have to take action,” said Wilfong.
It’s not the first time Reggie’s has been cited for serving minors. Wilfong said it happened a few years ago but the board’s current policy is three or more violations in a calendar year a hearing is held.
“Once the investigation is complete, they’ll be presumably formal charges, they’ll be cited and then there will be a hearing at the board to decide what should be done. It can include anything from a warning to fines, all the way up to revocation of the license,” said Wilfong.
Wilfong said Reggie’s isn’t the only bar that’s been cited for serving minors, he said it’s an issue parish-wide. He believes bars should not allow anyone under the age of 21 to enter and that would have a huge impact on underage drinking.
“And I think that’s the discussion that everyone needs to have with the metro council because they have the power to do the one thing in my opinion that would clamp down on a lot of this and that is raise the age to 21,” said Wilfong.
Wilfong said he’s talked with three members of the metro council and believes they will consider such a proposal of raising the entrance age along with other measures to curtail underage drinking.
The state ABC Board will hold an emergency meeting next month to decide the fate of Reggie’s after evidence from the investigation is presented.
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