Last Call owner appeals license denial

The owner of the controversial downtown nightclub Last Call has followed through on his promise to appeal a decision by the state to not renew the club’s liquor license.

The attorney for Last Call owner Dennis Steffes released the appeal to the Alcoholic Beverage Control division on Monday. In the appeal, attorney Dan Owen contends the director did not take into account the number of times Last Call staff members reported drug activity to the police.

One of the reasons ABC director Tom Groneman cited for not renewing the license was that there was evidence of frequent drug use at the club and that the club’s management hadn’t done enough to prevent the illegal drug use.

The filing of an appeal now forces state regulators to decide whether Last Call, 729 N.H., can stay open during the appeal process. Freda Warfield – a spokeswoman for the Kansas Secretary of Revenue, who will hear the appeal – said a decision hasn’t been made on whether to allow the business to remain open.

Owen wrote in the appeal that the business would be “destroyed as a going concern” if it is forced to close while appealing the ABC’s decision. Owen previously has said the appeal process could take more than a year because Last Call ultimately can take its appeal to the court system.