Tuscaloosa committee forwards 2 Dimes private-club liquor license to city council after security, crowding concerns

The Tuscaloosa City Public Safety Committee voted to recommend the private-club liquor license application for 2 Dimes, a proposed event venue at 1307 University Boulevard, be sent to the City Council for a public hearing.

The committee’s recommendation follows presentations by the applicant about the venue’s business model and security plans and comments from police and nearby business owners expressing concern about large fraternity and sorority parties and occasional overcrowding on the downtown strip.

Grant, representing the applicant, told the committee, “So it's a private club license ... and it's we're gonna be anywhere from, you know, rock to country concerts, southern rock, to private event space for Greek events, fraternity, sorority parties, to birthday parties.” He said the venue currently seats about 1,000 and plans to build out to “1,500 ish” with an anticipated opening in August. Grant described the membership model this way: “So a member of a club, I would compare it to, like, a North River Indian Hills. You would have a membership with 2 dimes so that when you show up, you're gonna have to present your membership card.” He said the applicant expects some events to be presold-ticket concerts and that the private-club classification “allows us to have all ages” including family events such as weddings and children’s birthday parties.

Chief Blankley of the Tuscaloosa Police Department told the committee the department “did not endorse it,” and said officers were “very clear about that.” Blankley said police have fewer concerns about standard concerts than about fraternity and sorority events at the proposed 1,500 capacity because such private parties “create[] basically a bar” and raise crowd-control issues for the strip. Blankley asked the applicant how security would be handled; the applicant said the venue plans to use an in-house security staff and estimated, by comparison to another local venue, “you're probably looking at 45 to 50 security personnel on any given night” for a 1,500-capacity event.

City staff clarified that the request on the agenda was only for an alcohol license; from a land-use perspective the property is already classified as a private-event space, and that classification would not change. Staff also said there is no probationary licensing period tied to the requested private-club license. Staff and the applicant said they would coordinate event schedules with police — for example by providing monthly or biweekly calendars — to help the department plan staffing.

During public comment, Jay Jared, who identified himself as an owner of 1225 SportsCenter, urged the committee to consider ongoing strip overcrowding. Jared said, “Previously, a concern that this council had was about or continues to be about overcrowding on the strip,” and asked whether adding roughly 500 seats at one venue would worsen the problem. Committee members and the applicant said many of the venue’s events would be presold and that attendees would be more likely to arrive and leave for single events rather than flow in and out all night like a typical bar.

On the motion to forward the application to the City Council for a public hearing, committee members voted in favor; the committee chair announced the motion passed.

What’s next: The item will appear on the City Council agenda for a public hearing and final action. Staff recommended, and the applicant agreed to, continued coordination with the Police Department on event scheduling and staffing.

Clarifying details from the meeting: seating currently about 1,000 with build-out to approximately 1,500; target opening in August; planned yearly membership (applicant cited an example of a $20 annual membership); some day events could start as early as 9 a.m. while other events could run into the late night depending on bookings; no probationary licensing period for this private-club request; applicant plans to use in-house security rather than contracting an outside firm; applicant estimated 45–50 security personnel for large events by analogy to another venue.