KNOXVILLE, Tenn — A strip club off Alcoa Highway that was forced to close in June after being declared a public nuisance by Knox County now has a new name and sign.
The club at 3005 Alcoa Highway, formerly known as The Ball Gentlemen's Club, is now going by the name "Dazey Dukez Gentlemen's Club."
Knox Country Judge Steve Sword ordered the location be closed on June 2 as a public nuisance based on a homicide, shootings, fights and other violent disturbances reported at the club over the past few years. Neighbors in the area complained The Ball was a source of constant trouble.
The club's owner is still working toward reaching a reopening agreement in court, according to records. The nuisance action required the strip club to halt business until an agreement can be made in court.
"We will work with a business owner to try to bring the business into compliance, to allow them to stay open," Knox County Attorney General Charme Allen said. "If we cannot reach any type of agreement, then we will ask for a permanent injunction to shut the business down permanently."
Within the last year, authorities responded to the club at least 15 times. Within the previous five years, officers responded to 55 disturbances, one assault, three shootings, 11 loud parties and one overdose.
"We've had fights in the parking lot, we've had gunplay, we have an active criminal case with a homicide here, we have an attempted homicide here," Allen said in June. "There are neighbors very close to this establishment and this establishment is open, most of the calls that we get are three, four, or five in the morning."
Owner John Nichols released the following statement on June 2:
"The business that today is The Ball Gentleman’s Club has operated as a legal business for more than 30 years at this location.
Like many other establishments that provide live entertainment to the public, we have not been immune to occasional unfortunate behavior.
Many of the complaints outlined in the order we received today, however, did not occur in our establishment but were the result of actions of people who were trespassing on our property and whom had been repeatedly asked to leave the premises.
We are consulting with our attorneys, and we plan to vigorously defend our right to operate our legal business."
Cindy McLaughlin, a neighbor near the club, said the HOAs in the area tried to come to an agreement with the club prior to this nuisance action. The club is scheduled to take the issue up in court on Sept. 6 after its previous court date in August was reset.