CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission says they are suspending El Centenario Night Club’s ABC permits after the club was found violating Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order on reopening amid COVID.
Investigators say on several occasions the club was not following COVID safety precautions including social distancing and wearing masks.
Over the last few months special agents of North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) and CMPD officers investigated the club saying they had large crowds, no basic sanitization practices, and served alcohol past the 11 p.m. curfew, according to a news release.
Investigators say the club also made several social media posts showing advertisements and video footage inside the business of its large crowds and an extreme lack of compliance with social distancing.
Gibbie Harris, Mecklenburg County health director, says “Large indoor gatherings that involve close personal contact (e.g. dancing) without face coverings has substantial risk of fueling clusters of COVID-19 cases. Given the large number of young residents observed participating at these events, this could contribute to a reversal of the positive trends we have been seeing and increase the number of cases and spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
Sworn statements by special agents of ALE, CMPD officers, along with a notarized statement from the Mecklenburg County Health Director, and a declaration by the State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services suspends the bar from serving alcohol immediately, according to a news release.
ABC officials say this is the third suspension issued this year by the N.C. ABC Commission that is focused on public health and safety.
