The head of a city agency reviewing nightclub impresario Regas Christou’s proposal for a new establishment has recommended denial, saying “his character, record and reputation are not satisfactory.”
Awilda Marquez, director of the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, is urging that a liquor-license request be turned down after an investigation found that Christou manipulated the process to make it appear he was hosting a special event to raise money for a nonprofit.
Instead, in a nine-page order, Marquez wrote that police detectives found Christou used the event to sell liquor and raise money for himself. She has scheduled a hearing for May 13 to go over the allegations.
The office earlier recommended a license for the proposed City Hall.
Christou’s attorney, Adam Stapen, did not return numerous telephone messages seeking comment.
Christou and his family own half a dozen nightclubs in the area south of downtown, known as the burgeoning SoCo area. Critics contend the clubs draw violent patrons. Christou has characterized any problems as isolated and minor.
Marquez wrote in her April 15 order for a hearing that the nonprofit, the Golden Triangle Museum District, filed an application for a special-event liquor permit and for three special-event cabarets last year.
In the application, Christou stated he gave the nonprofit permission to use his building at 1144 Broadway to hold the event. The application was purportedly signed by Lynn Haner, president of the museum district.
Two special events were held in October, but then Marquez became suspicious the proceeds were going to Christou and not the nonprofit.
Marquez wrote that she discussed the situation with Haner, who denied knowledge of the application.
“When told her signature was on the application, Ms. Haner suggested that it could not be because she never applied for the permit,” she wrote.
Haner then withdrew the application, and the event was canceled. During a subsequent investigation, Haner said Christou had written $1,000 to the nonprofit for the two special events held in October and another check for $1,500 as a donation for an arts festival. Haner resigned from the nonprofit in January. She maintains that her name was forged on the special-event liquor permit.
During an interview with police, Christou said he had an arrangement to give the museum district $500 for each special event. Christou also told the detective that he made some money off the events but not much.
“It appears that Regas Christou manipulated the . . . process in order to sell alcohol beverages on the premises of 1144 Broadway, and that at least some of these sales occurred in areas that were neither licensed nor permitted for the sale of alcohol beverages,” Marquez wrote.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
