Roc's Place in Wausau. MWC file photo by Mike Leischner.
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Wausau City Council voted nearly unanimously on Tuesday to revoke the Class B liquor license for Roc’s Place on 3rd Avenue after police filed a complaint against the establishment for numerous incidents involving weapons and other violations.
Assistant City Attorney Tara Alfonso addressed the council before the vote to summarize the extent of the complaint and the hearing held last week.
Alfonso says the Public Health and Safety Committee recommended the license revocation due to the danger the tavern poses on the area. “The community, neighbors, passers by, and these residents surrounding Roc’s Place should not have to shoulder the burden and suffer the dangerous activities inside and that erupt and spill out from this tavern,”.
She also outlined one incident last spring involving missing security camera footage from the establishment that included a fight. In that incident, officers had to ask management multiple times for the video from the altercation itself.
Alder Tom Neal argued that could have been an incident of honest miscommunication. Lisa Rasmussen, the chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee countered by saying even without that particular incident there was enough evidence to revoke the license given the dangerous weapons involved in some of the incidents.
Neal also asked Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven if the council should consider a suspension of Roc’s Place license as opposed to a revocation. Bliven couldn’t give the tavern a vote of confidence.
“I believe it’s wishful thinking. We’ve been working with Roc’s Place and Mr. Nawrocki for many years on how to make sure that the establishment is safe for patrons there. I don’t think that they’re capable of a turn around,”.
Representatives for Roc’s Place said their client has shown a willingness to work with officers to improve conditions, but it wasn’t enough to win over the council.
The city’s Public Health and Safety Committee had previously voted to revoke the license following nearly six hours of hearings and closed-door discussion.
Tuesday’s vote was 8-1 in favor of pulling the license. Alder Deb Ryan was the lone no vote.
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