EARLY CURFEW? Late-night clubs, such as the Electric Cowboy shown here, could face earlier closing under an ordinance to be considered Tuesday by the Little Rock City Board. Brian Chilson

The Little Rock City Board agenda Tuesday schedules third (final) readings on competing ordinances aimed at private clubs with permits currently to operate until 5 a.m.

One ordinance would require additional security measures for such clubs. This would include the required hiring of two licensed law officers to work on premises from midnight to closing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and holiday nights. It was written by City Manager Bruce Moore, with club input.

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Another ordinance, the work of Directors Brad Cazort and Gene Fortson, would set a 2 a.m. closing, except for 3 a.m. on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and holiday nights.

The handful of clubs with 5 a.m. permits say the earlier closing will be crippling to business. There’s been talk of some melding of the two proposals, but no such compromise is currently on the agenda.

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The city board agenda also includes:

* SPORTS FACILITY STUDY: The Board has a non-controversial resolution to allow the city, on behalf of the Advertising and Promotion Commission, to apply for a $15,000 state parks grant, to be matched by $15,000 in Little Rock Convention Bureau money, for a study on the feasibility of building an “indoor multi-sports facility.” 

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From the description:

The proposed facility is intended to be used for recruiting sporting events, growing existing sporting events and used as a rental facility for practices and other special events as available.

Interesting. If there’s been past coverage of this idea, I’ve missed it. I’ll be asking for more information It occurs to me this could be a facility that could, for example, house a bigger part of the annual youth basketball tournament, Real Deal in the Rock, held at venues around the city. I doubt the aim is another major facility along the lines of Verizon Arena, but I’m just guessing at this point. If anybody has a clue at this early hour, I’m interested.

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