State denies ‘cabaret dancing’ request

Business east of Rogers had sought permit change from alcohol control board

BENTONVILLE — The state denied an application to allow “cabaret dancing” at a restaurant on Arkansas 12 in the Prairie Creek area east of Rogers after opposition from residents and Benton County officials.

A request to amend the state-issued permit for Tony C’s Italian Gardens Ristorante was sent to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board on Oct. 20. The request asked that the permit for the business, identified as a private club, be changed to add cabaret dancing and to change the name to “Hots NWA.”

Mary Robin Casteel, director, said the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board sent notice of the denial to Anthony Catroppa, the holder of the permit, on Wednesday.

“He can appeal that to the … board if he desires. That’s where we are now,” Casteel said.

Catroppa didn’t respond to a message left on his cellphone. Paul Reynolds of Fayetteville, Catroppa’s attorney, said Wednesday afternoon that he hadn’t received notice of the board’s decision and had no other comment on the application or a possible appeal. Reynolds said Catroppa didn’t wish to be contacted about the request.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board notified the Benton County sheriff ’s office and prosecuting attorney of the request on Oct. 25, asking for their responses. Both offices opposed the request, as did County Judge Barry Moehring.

Prosecutor Nathan Smith also sent the board his response.

“After speaking with you, my understanding is that this application would essentially authorize stripping in this establishment,” Smith wrote to the board. “The term ‘cabaret dancing’ is a bit ambiguous in this context, so if I am mistaken in reading it this way, please let me know. As it stands, I am opposed to authorizing stripping in this or any other establishment due to the crime that activity attracts.”

Residents also voiced their concerns to the board, local officials and their state legislators.

Cathleen Faircloth, an area resident, said the denial of the request was good news.

“It’s a relief for me and the whole community,” she said. “It was definitely a community effort on social media and through emails to reach out to our local officials and the state. It was a whole community that rallied around this.”