Nightclub contends racial prejudice in $22.5 million lawsuit

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The city of Vancouver and others successfully conspired to close a nightclub because of racial prejudice, the owners of the club say in a $22.5 million lawsuit.

The owners of Q Nightclub and Lounge say efforts by the city and a transit agency resulted in the business closing in late 2015, The Columbian reported in a story Friday.

Earlier that year business partners Adrian Kallimanis and Jose Parrawas were told that the club’s fire access was part of the neighboring property purchased by C-Tran to build a rapid transit bus center.

When the club couldn’t find another fire access, the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s office shut the club down. Authorities said the lack of a secondary exit and the historic fire risks at nightclubs made it unsafe.

The city and other entities “worked in concert, conspired or acted in furtherance of a conspiracy to severely limit the owners’ freedom to operate their business and ultimately to close the Q,” the lawsuit said.

City officials reject the allegations.

“The allegations that the city did anything for reasons related to the race of its patrons, or that there was any sort of conspiracy, are outright frivolous,” said Daniel Lloyd, assistant city attorney. “The city will vigorously defend this case.”