Birmingham city council votes to shut down Club Heat | News

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC)- For the second time in two months, the city of Birmingham is shutting down a downtown nightclub.

The council unanimously voted Tuesday to revoke the liquor, dance, and business licenses of Club Asia, now known as Club Heat.

The club is directly across the street from Birmingham police headquarters, but has had 159 police reports filed about incidents at the club since September of 2009.

The club's owner says he has the biggest private security force of any club in town and isn't responsible for everything that happens around the club, but councilors didn't see it that way.

"I don't think this council is saying the club itself is committing the crimes, but you are creating an environment in the community that promotes criminal activity," said Councilor Kim Rafferty. "And obviously your security is not handling the situation properly."

In August, the city council voted unanimously to shut down the club Mike's Crossroads, described by one council member as a "venue of violence." In the past four years, more than 130 incidents at Mike's Crossroads were filed in police reports.

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