Annisoton, AL – The Anniston City Council voted Monday evening to revoke the business license of I-20 HD Lounge, operating as Pure Sports Bar and Grill, following a lengthy public hearing that presented evidence of persistent safety issues spanning nearly a decade.
Mayor Ciara Smith presided over the December 16, 2025 meeting, which began with a work session at 5:00 p.m. followed by the formal council meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Work Session Discussions
During the work session, the council reviewed several agenda items scheduled for voting later that evening.
Budget Amendments: The council discussed two budget amendments—a $23,810 increase to the travel budget for the mayor and council members to attend state-mandated training, and $224.63 for Wiggins Youth Stars and Travel Track Coca-Cola fundraiser reimbursements. Questions arose about the fundraiser donations, as checks were made out to the Wiggins Community Center rather than directly to the youth organizations. Council members agreed to accept the current donations but discussed implementing clearer protocols for future donations to city-associated programs.
Safety Committee Appointments: City staff presented information about a partnership with Calhoun County for the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant, a $300,000 federal grant to evaluate traffic safety concerns throughout the city and county. The grant will identify problem areas and provide engineering recommendations, though actual improvements would require separate funding. Council Members Harrington and Moss volunteered to serve on the committee, which requires three meetings over the grant period.
Honorary Street Naming: The council discussed renaming ITC Way to Kusano Way in recognition of Kazu Kusano, founder of Changer & Dresser Corporation. The honorary designation would not change 911 addresses or require new street signs, only adding green honorary signage.
Clothing Drop-Off Bins: Council Member Moss raised concerns about clothing and shoe drop-off bins in her ward, particularly at the former Food Land location and a Texaco station, which have become dumping sites for mattresses, furniture, and broken items. City Manager Kenneth Free explained the city has an ordinance requiring permits for such bins and weekly pickups. He agreed to investigate the specific locations and ensure compliance or remove non-compliant bins.
Drainage Easement Request: Council Member Harrington discussed a drainage issue at 225 Leighton Avenue, where a culvert stops behind a resident’s property, causing erosion. The council agreed to send letters requesting drainage easements from affected property owners, including Mr. Little and Turn Development Company, while simultaneously conducting cost assessments for the drainage extension work.
Purchasing Policy Update: The council reviewed an updated purchasing policy to align with Alabama state requirements, replacing the previous 2019 policy.
City Manager Updates: Free reported security improvements at City Hall, including locked glass doors on the authorized personnel side and removal of the open-area workstation. The phone system has improved, with the city now averaging about 25 calls per day. Free emphasized that the changes maintain public accessibility while improving employee safety and comfort, particularly regarding temperature control issues.
Public Hearing: Pure Sports Bar License Revocation
The formal council meeting’s primary focus was the public hearing on the business license revocation for Pure Sports Bar and Grill.
City’s Case: City Manager Free presented documentation showing more than 450 calls for police service at the establishment between 2016 and 2025 during operating hours. The evidence included 37 assault-in-progress calls, 27 discharge of firearms, four gunshot victims, six weapon calls, seven menacing incidents, and one rape.
“This volume alone demonstrates that Club Pure is a recurrent draw for police intervention,” Free told the council, noting the establishment had received seven municipal court citations for alcohol violations.
The city had previously warned the business in November 2023, with then-City Manager Steven Folks formally notifying ownership of concerns. However, Free reported 115 additional service calls occurred during operating hours since that warning, including continued violent incidents, assaults, discharging firearms, overdoses, and disturbances.
Captain Caballero from the Anniston Police Department presented body camera footage from multiple incidents in 2025, showing fights, understaffed security, security guards fleeing and requesting police assistance, and management conflicts with security staff over calling law enforcement. One video showed a manager reprimanding security for calling police without management approval first. Another Thanksgiving night incident showed officers responding to multiple calls, with management complaining about police presence affecting business.
Fire Marshal inspection reports revealed violations including failure to maintain order on premises, prohibited nudity and sexual conduct concerns, and smoking in enclosed areas.
Defense: David, the operations manager for Pure Sports Bar, stated the business owner was unable to attend due to a family emergency. He had expected the hearing to be continued based on a last-minute request from legal counsel, which the council did not approve due to lack of a motion.
David argued the business had implemented enhanced security measures including ID scanners with automatic flagging of banned individuals, active ban lists, proactive police coordination for large events, stadium bag policies requiring clear bags, enhanced security staff from the Georgia and Birmingham areas, and improved incident reporting procedures.
“We can’t control people. What we can control is the system that we put in place to control the misconduct and the actions of people,” he told the council, noting the business has operated at the location for 13 years.
David disputed characterizations of the call volume, noting that over 13 years, 450 calls would average about 30 calls per year or three per month. He explained many calls were proactive requests for police presence during large events to prevent incidents, and that some calls in the area weren’t directly related to the bar.
He acknowledged being unaware of the 36-hour incident reporting requirement until recently and committed to compliance going forward.
Public Comment: Several employees and community members spoke during the public hearing.
Daisha Adams, an employee since 2016, stated: “Pure is my only job. I mean, I got four kids,” and described improvements under current management, noting staff attempts to prevent problem patrons from entering.
Jasmine Medal acknowledged incidents but highlighted community contributions: “We have school drives, we have events for the kids sometimes for Easter and stuff like that.” She requested the council consider a probationary period rather than immediate revocation.
A community member, Jason Freeman, emphasized that Pure serves multiple functions beyond nightclub operations: “Pure has served as a wedding reception, a book club meeting, baby showers, anything. Pure has been there for everybody.”
Megan Whiteside from Midway Heights acknowledged that accountability must be paired with investment, stating: “Patterns like these often emerge in areas that have lacked sufficient resources, opportunity, and sustained investment.” She urged the council to consider how Anniston would further invest in the community while enforcing accountability.
Another speaker suggested the business could consider going private to better control who enters the establishment.
Council Decision
City Attorney Downey clarified that the council’s question was whether substantial evidence existed to support revocation based on violations of city ordinances, state law, or conduct dangerous to public health.
Council Member Downing noted the significant city resources devoted to the establishment, stating that three calls per month “is excessive” and that “sports bars do not have to be synonymous with violence.”
Council Member Moss stated: “What we do not want to happen as a result of that, someone wind up losing their life just because they went to a club. The opportunity that Pure has been given, they have violated that.”
Council Member Harrington expressed sympathy for employees losing jobs but cited serious management failures: “Anytime your security asks for your establishment to close, that’s a problem with me.” He noted he would prefer suspension to give the business another chance, but acknowledged the severity of the evidence, particularly videos showing poor management and weak security.
Council Member Tolson referenced data going back to 2016: “I’m of the mindset that we’ve got data going back all the way to 2016, and most recently, I believe that was what, November the 28th. That hasn’t changed… I think there’s plenty of evidence for a vote of license revocation. And in my opinion, it probably should have been done a long time ago.”
Mayor Smith emphasized accountability: “A sports bar does not have to be synonymous with violence. And I’ve heard reiterated multiple times we cannot control the people, and you cannot, but you can control the environment. And that is your responsibility as a business owner to do so. This is a pattern of violent occurrences. This is not isolated events, they don’t happen in a vacuum.”
She noted the city gave the establishment an opportunity to improve in November 2023: “You’ve proven the inability to control the environment since then, based off of the service calls that have had.”
The motion to revoke passed with Council Members Downing, Tolson, Harrington, Moss, and Mayor Smith all voting yes. All business activities must cease immediately.
Additional Public Hearings
The council held two additional public hearings with no public comment:
- A hearing regarding amending the FY26 budget to increase travel for mayor and council by $23,810
- A hearing regarding a special events retail liquor license for RT Oates LLC doing business as Oates, located at 201 Charity Trail in the police jurisdiction
Consent Agenda and Resolutions
The council approved the consent agenda, which included:
- Awarding demolition contracts for three properties: 416 Palmetto (rear) to T and D Stump and Grading for $2,950; 1714 Dooley to Excel for $6,450; and 1415 Lehman to RLC Farms for $8,035
- Adjusting zoning boundaries to Urban Center (UC1) for property owned by REK Partners LLC
- Adjusting zoning boundaries to Suburban Edge (SE) for properties owned by McClellan Properties LLC
- Declaring a reported condition to be a public nuisance
- Reappointing Karen Crockett to the Anniston-Calhoun County Library Board
- Approving the special events retail liquor license for RT Oates LLC
Three resolutions passed unanimously:
- Amending the FY 2026 budget to increase travel budgets for the mayor and council members by $23,810
- Amending the FY 2026 budget to include Wiggins Youth Stars and Travel Track Coca-Cola fundraiser reimbursements and donations of $224.63
- Adopting an updated purchasing policy for the City of Anniston
Council Comments
Council Member Downing thanked staff for their work on recent events, particularly the Christmas parade and chili cook-off, and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
Council Member Harrington reflected on the difficult decisions required of the council and thanked City Manager Free for accompanying him on tours of Ward 3 to inspect properties and discuss concerns. He announced plans for a community meeting at Golden Springs Community Center in January, with the date to be determined. He also reminded residents to check on those who may be struggling during the holiday season.
Council Member Moss echoed Harrington’s sentiment about the difficulty of the evening’s decision.
Mayor Smith emphasized that change is uncomfortable but sometimes necessary: “Just because the city of Anniston has tolerated foolishness for many, many years does not mean that we have to continue that.” She thanked staff for handling the matter promptly and thanked those who spoke during the hearing. She concluded: “Let this serve notice to anyone for that matter, that the city of Anniston is here to support responsible business owners and to ensure the success and integrity of this city.”
The council adjourned into executive session to discuss real property matters and preliminary negotiations involving trade or commerce.
