The Madison Police Department placed several restraining conditions on Club Majestic's alcohol license Friday in an attempt to lower the number of violent outbreaks in the area.
The City Attorney's office is currently filing a suit to declare the establishment a "public nuisance," which would force the infamous nightclub to shut its doors as soon as next week.
The most recent violent incident at Club Majestic, located at 115 King St., involved gang activity and a crowd of more than 300 people.
With the number of dangerous outbreaks accumulating, MPD Public Information Officer Mike Hanson said the owners were falling short on their responsibilities, and something needed to be done.
"When you have disturbances like these, something is not working and more can always be done," he said in a previous interview with The Badger Herald.
In a letter written to the Majestic's owner Anthony Schiavo, MPD Chief of Police Noble Wray outlined the new stipulations of the establishment's liquor license.
According to Wray, Club Majestic's new maximum capacity is 200 patrons, a number that must be lowered to 150 people after 1 a.m. The letter also said the club must have one uniformed and easily identifiable security officer for every 30 customers.
In addition, the MPD ordered musical entertainment must end each night a full hour before bar time, and no drinks of any kind can be served in glass bottles.
"Violation of any of [the] license conditions may result in prosecution for an ordinance violation, the assessment of demerit points against [the] alcohol beverage license and the assessment of a monetary penalty upon conviction of an ordinance violation," Wray warned in the letter to Schiavo.
If the owners of Club Majestic oppose any part of the orders, he added, they have a chance to object and hold a hearing before the Alcohol License Review Committee in the future.
But, before the Schiavo family gets involved in a potentially long and messy legal battle over the Majestic, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he hopes the family sells the establishment.
Verveer, whose district includes the King Street area, also said the situation is detrimental to downtown Madison's image.
"The Majestic has been a tremendous blight to the downtown image," he admitted. "For King Street in particular and downtown as a whole, it has sent a misconception throughout the community that the region is unsafe."
The Schiavo family has publicly expressed desires to sell the popular nightclub. And with the tough restrictions now placed on the Majestic, Verveer added, it would be difficult for the club to stay in business anyway.
Yet with new owners, many officials, including Verveer, said the Majestic could continue to be an important entertainment venue in downtown Madison.
"I hope we don't lose the Majestic as a valuable entertainment venue, and I hope a new ownership can get in there as soon as possible to keep the history of the Majestic continuing," he added. "We cannot allow this violence to exist … but it's easier said than done."