After nearly two months, the City of Sacramento has succeeded in shutting down a pot lounge in a midtown neighborhood.
But the organizer told FOX40 he’s just going to reopen somewhere else Thursday night.
Will Hennessee gave FOX40 a tour of what used to be the 11:30 Club.
FOX40’s investigation into the club revealed the weekslong struggle the City of Sacramento has been having to deal with.
Medical marijuana cardholders would come to get cannabis, hang out at the club and smoke. Hennessee says that’s the crucial part — the pot lounge. Under current city law, there are few places for people to smoke outside of their own homes.
“They’re saying I’ve got to smoke in my private house,” Hennessee said. “I’ve got three children that I do not want inhaling marijuana smoke at this point.”
But in court Thursday, the City of Sacramento argued the 11:30 Club was an unpermitted dispensary. They cited undercover police officers who say they went into the club one weekend and purchased marijuana.
“Clear evidence, our undercover operations they purchased,” said Sacramento City Attorney Susan Alcala Wood.
If the city is successful in making the temporary restraining order against the 11:30 Club permanent will it be worth it? Especially if the club will just reappear somewhere else.
“There’s tremendous value in an order like this. You can just ask the neighborhood that had to endure this for the last several weeks,” Alcala Wood said.
Alcala Woods says the six weeks it took to shut it down was “pretty quick” because the city tried to get the 11:30 Club to shut down voluntarily first.
