Public hearing for event center’s license held after mass shooting

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Thursday afternoon the City of Lansing held a public hearing for the owner of Energy Event Center, located in Logan Square shopping plaza, after a mass shooting took place there nearly a month ago.

The city of Lansing is recommending the event space’s cabaret license be revoked.

The mass shooting took place in the early morning of July 30th and left five people, ranging in ages from 15 to 26, injured -- two people were critically injured.

Two witnesses were called to testify at the hearing on Thursday. One being the Energy Event Center owner, Ryan Cabell and Lansing Police Department Regulatory Officer, Andrew Watkins.

Lansing’s Deputy City Attorney Lisa Hagen-Lawrence accused Cabell of allegedly not maintaining the peace at a concert event he held on the night of July 29th that went into the early morning hours of July 30th.

Cabell, holds a cabaret license for the event space, but in order to keep the license -- he must follow certain rules. According to Lansing’s city ordinance: Licensees are to maintain the peace inside and outside the event space, “Maintain(ing) the peace means action(s) to prevent violent behavior or a violation of the Lansing Code of Ordinances including, but not limited to, Part 6 and Chapter 664 thereof, from occurring on the premises. Premises means the entire lot on which a cabaret is located, all parking, parking lots, and parking facilities intended for use by patrons of the cabaret, and all surrounding areas within 1,500 feet of the boundaries of the lot on which the cabaret is located.”

The Deputy City Attorney alleging Cabell did violate the ordinance.

Hagen-Lawrence also accusing the event space’s patrons leaving alcohol bottles among other trash in the public parking lot... Violating state and federal law. The city’s ordinance also stating that if laws are broken -- the licensee’s could be revoked.

“Every license issued under this chapter is revocable by the City if the licensee fails to make any payment required by Section 808.10, or operates his or her business in violation of any other provisions of this chapter, other ordinances of the City or State, or Federal law.”

Ryan Cabell says the ordinance requiring 1,500 feet to be secured in unreasonable, “The circumstances in which the parking lot should be covered is extremely harsh and I think it should be modified. There should be a warning, there should be a second warning, I’ve had the event center for 3 years and this is the first incident and they’re coming in extremely aggressive. One incident and just take this cabaret license.”

The revocation of the license is now left up to City Council after the hearing officer presents her recommendations on the matter. Mayor Andy Schor taking a pretty hard stance -- recommending the City Council revoke the license two weeks ago.

There is no set date for when the recommendations will go in front of the council.

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