Problems diminish at SR nightclub

Santa Rosa's only downtown nightclub, on the verge of being shut down by the city because of the hundreds of police calls it generated, apparently has cleaned up its act.

Police said Seven Ultralounge has had a trouble-free record since club co-owner Gianni Messmer imposed stricter rules and staff changes demanded by the city in November.

"Within the past few months, I haven't seen or heard of the problems they had before," Police Sgt. Andy Romero said. "I think things are going pretty well."

Messmer agreed. "We haven't had one incident involving the police," he said.

That's in stark contrast to the 520 calls for police service, for everything from drunken brawls and assaults to disturbances in and around the business, attributed to the nightclub between the day it opened in January 2006 and this past November.

City officials had planned to hold a hearing before an independent hearing officer this month that could have led to the club's closure, changes to its operating permit or a ruling the nightclub be left to operate as is.

Assistant City Attorney Mike Casey said it's been difficult to find a suitable hearing date and that one likely will be set for March.

In the meantime, Casey said he hasn't heard of any major problems with the nightclub. He credits the improvement to conditions the city imposed on the nightclub as part of an agreement to let it remain open until the hearing is held.

The club was required to eliminate hip-hop music from its playlist, impose a dress code to discourage gang-related clothing and change personnel, including a security firm with some employees who officials said exacerbated some of the problems.

Messmer said he's replaced about 20 employees, including the security company, and several disc jockeys who he said declined to stop playing hip-hop.

Romero believes hip-hop was the main culprit.

"It's well-documented that clubs in the Bay Area had problems with homicides and stabbings because that music brings in a different clientele," he said.

Messmer said with the change of music to Billboard's Top 40, '80s tunes and some rhythm-and-blues, the nightclub's clientele has changed dramatically.

"It's changed 100 percent, from the ghetto crowd to a nice, classy, upscale crowd," he said.

He said his Friday and Saturday night attendance, which he estimates number around 250 patrons, is down about 30 percent.

Messmer, who took control of the club's management when the city threatened to shut it down, thinks he's on the right track with the stricter dress code, a change in music and heightened security that even patrols the city's nearby parking garage to provide a greater sense of safety.

"I don't think it's impossible to run a good nightclub," he said. "The problem is when you have management that doesn't take control."

You can reach Staff Writer Mike McCoy at 521-5276 or mike.mccoy@pressdemocrat.com.