Council denies long‑running nightclub’s late‑night entertainment request; live music limited to 11 p.m.

Reno City Council on April 9 denied a Planning Commission approval that would have allowed amplified live entertainment past 11 p.m. at 214 West Commercial Row, the site of the former 1 Up nightclub. Carter Williams, associate planner, said the current downtown zoning allows by‑right bar uses with accessory live entertainment up to 11 p.m.; any extension requires a conditional use permit. The applicant sought an extension to 5 a.m.; the Planning Commission granted a lesser extension to 3 a.m. Council elected to reverse that Planning Commission action and deny the CUP, restoring the 11 p.m. limit for amplified live entertainment at the address.

Mary Babis, owner of nearby Montage parcels, told council the property is developable and that a long permit history and recent neighborhood crime reports would make a long‑term nightclub entitlement risky for surrounding investments. Applicant Fadi Mahana, who operated 1 Up for years, urged council the later hours were essential to operate a viable after‑hours music venue and said he had made sound‑mitigation investments and proposed a security plan; supporters told council the reopened venue would create local jobs and boost downtown tourism. Council members weighed repeated resident complaints about noise and late‑night public safety issues against economic arguments in favor of re‑opening the music venue.

By denying the CUP — a unanimous vote — council left the address permitted to operate as a bar but limited to the by‑right live entertainment hours of the downtown entertainment district (ending at 11 p.m.). City staff said the applicant may reapply for later hours in the future, but any extended entitlements will require an application, standards compliance and evidence the venue can meet noise and public‑safety conditions.