Sandy Springs Denies Alcohol License For Controversial Night Club

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A discussion filled with tense exchanges preceded the Sandy Springs City Council’s decision to unanimously reject an alcohol license for Taboo 3000.

The council voted to deny the application after it was unclear when the transfer of ownership of the establishment took place.

The council in September initially approved a 60-day alcohol license for the former Taboo 2 Bistro & Bar after it raised questions about its ownership. That temporary license came at the request of City Attorney Wendell Willard, which he said would give him time to track down missing information in the application needed to determine when the closing took place.

The request to grant a permanent license was once again delayed on Nov. 4, as applicant Kenneith Durden was unable to attend the meeting to answer questions Willard had for him.

Sandy Springs Finance Director Karen Ellis informed the council the license application indicated the new business and change of ownership was effective on July 1. However, testimony during the council’s meeting in September indicated the sale had not taken place.

Cary Wiggins, attorney for Durden and whose law firm prepared the application, noted the sale of the business was “in process” and contingent upon getting the license. Additionally, the July 1 date was the time they thought Durden would be in full control of the establishment.

“That is not a material discrepency, if you will,” he added. “It’s just the date that we thought Mr. Durden would begin operating the business.”

That didn’t provide any comfort to Sandy Springs leaders. Mayor Rusty Paul asked Wiggins if he knew he submitted “false” information to the city.

“That’s a simple yes or no,” Paul said when Wiggins did not immediately answer the question.

Wiggins went onto say he “did not provide false documents to the city of Sandy Springs,” and said he’d rather withdraw the application altogether if the council was inclined to deny the request based upon the issue of the date.

He also said he’s filed other applications with the city and has never encountered as much “flak” as he received on Tuesday. The attorney said his client and his law firm have disclosed everything required by the city, but the purchase date “is a little murky.” That, as he said earlier, was contingent upon obtaining the alcohol license.

“I don’t call it fraudulent, Mr. Mayor,” he added.

Paul said he never used the term fraudulent to describe the situation, but Wiggins said he recalled the mayor making that assertion.

“No, you’re making up things again, just like on the application,” Paul said.

Council member Graham McDonald used the time to inquire about Durden’s residency and his occupation.

Durden, who is a licensed therapist, resides in Savannah, but said he has a residence and businesses in the area. He runs Durden Consulting Services, which he said has offices in Savannah, Alpharetta and Augusta. He also told the council he owns stock in The Shark Bar Atl on Greenbriar Parkway in southwest Atlanta.

McDonald also asked Durden, who also said he runs a trucking company, if he was aware of the ”public safety” issues that have plagued Taboo. Durden said he was aware of the negative publicity, and added the bar “would be a totally different” setup if he’s given the chance to obtain the alcohol license.

Council member Gabriel Sterling noted words like murky and unclear “make this council a little on the leery side about the application at this point.”

“It’s not just about the date,” he added. ”It’s about the representation made of that.”

Durden said he loves Sandy Springs, thinks it’s a great place to be and may even consider purchasing real estate in the city.

“But, there are different things I’m looking to learn though this whole process if given the opportunity,” he said.

Wiggins insisted there was no ”misrepresentation” of the application and that his law firm has been completely forthcoming with Willard and city staff.

Taboo has been in the news in the last several months for less than flattering reasons.

Last month, a Brookhaven man was shot and killed behind the facility. Earlier this year, a woman was charged with attacking reality TV star Erica Pinkett, star of the VH1 show “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta,” inside the nightclub.