Venue Fights ‘Cut Loose’

Officials at a venue in Lincoln, Neb., are spinning over an antiquated dancing law that they claim is hurting their pocketbooks.

It seems business isn’t exactly booming at the Bourbon Theatre, and the club is claiming the problem began after police warned that it could not admit patrons younger than 19 years old to shows after 9 p.m. that allowed public dancing.

In Lincoln, the 70-year-old law on the books gives venues two options: either close off shows to minors after 9 p.m. and, with a permit, allow dancing, or allow minors, prohibit dancing, and face fines if an overzealous fan decides to cut a rug during a concert.

Bourbon event coordinator Jeremy Buckley made the venue’s case to city council chair Doug Emery in a letter obtained by the local Journal Star.

“It’s hurting us as a business and as a vibrant culture,” Buckley wrote, “to exclude this many people to something that more people should have access to. We lose business and the city of Lincoln loses an entertainment option for its citizens.”

Emery told the paper a meeting has been scheduled between the city attorney and officials from the venue to discuss whether “police are interpreting the ordinance correctly. The ordinance seems pretty vague to me. Maybe, and I’m saying maybe, it’s as simple as how we’re interpreting it.”

Another part of the ordinance that has caused confusion is public venues that are apparently exempt from the law, meaning that minors can attend, and dance at, concert in parks, on streets, or at the city-owned Pershing Center after 9 p.m.

Attorney Sean Reagan said he’s promoted shows in the area for years, and seen acts skip Lincoln because agents weren’t secure the city could deliver the same numbers as Omaha.

The ordinance “was just one more reason Lincoln kept getting passed over for acts,” he told the Star. “Lincoln needs to address this, because competitively this market isn’t going to keep up with Omaha.”