In the wake of the past months' 44-bullet shootout, homicide, shuttering, and NIMBY antics revolving around Suede in Fisherman's Wharf, another chapter in the nightclub's chronicles opens, or should we say closes. Today Suede begins a one-month shutter enforced by the San Francisco Entertainment Commission. You may recall the first shuttering two months ago was voluntarily. But the recent enforcement is woven into a larger debate on the Commission's ability to protect the public’s safety.
To begin with, the commission's dual role to promote and regulate the nightclub industry is problematic. Not to mention the conflict of interest among many of its members, who are club owners themselves.
A perfect example is founding evangelist, Terrance Alan, who also serves as the chairman of the San Francisco Late Night Coalition nightclub lobbying group, produces and appears in gay pornography, and owns the Tenderloin building that housed Pink Diamonds strip club.
Alan stepped down from the commission a week ago due to "health issues." And it appears that the commission's recent crackdown is a last-ditch effort to prove it's efficacy. We're calling it the beginning of the end for both the commission and the club. In the meantime, have at 'em NIMBYs.
