By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — A West 20th Street bar that bills itself as "New York's Gay Sports Bar" is hoping for the best as its bid to extend its weekend hours of operation to attract the late-night crowd goes up for a vote on Thursday night.
Midtown's Community Board 5 will decide whether to allow Boxers NYC Sportsbar to extend its closing time from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on weekends so that it can keep up with its competition by serving late-night crowds. The proposal was approved 5 - 2 by CB5's liquor license committee last month.
"It’s hard to have a competitive advantage," attorney Donald Bernstein, who represents one of Boxers' owners Bob Fluet, told the board last month.
Fluet told the board his bar loses a ton of business between midnight and 2 a.m, as potential patrons move elsewhere in search of a later closing time.
CB5 had promised the bar it would reconsider its hours of operation after granting it its initial liquor license in 2009, depending on whether the bar proved itself to be a good neighbor.
According to board members who reported doing extensive outreach in the neighborhood, most people agree the bar has been an excellent addition to the area, and many welcome the longer hours.
While the bar has had some issues, including complains of noise from a back patio that had been built to keep smokers off the street, the community responded with "overwhelming" support for extending its hours, CB5 said.
The board also praised the bar for trying to address concerns, including agreeing to hire a sound engineer.
"They’re more than willing to work with us," board member Renee Cafaro said.
But a handful of residents who attended the meeting disagreed with the common perception of the bar, and say they vehemently oppose extra hours.
Larry Aronson, who lives in the building next door to Boxers, said that he’s constantly disturbed by loud noise caused by drunken, screaming patrons outside.
Instead of a gay-themed sports bar, Aronson said Boxers operates more like a "rowdy and drunk" 3,000 square-foot club, Aronson.
Susan Finley, who lives across from the bar and has also opposed other new bars in the neighborhood, complained of screaming crowds and rowdy behavior on weekday nights.
"It’s an abomination. It’s awful," Finley complained. "They’re not community-minded people," she said.
Some board members sided with the residents in the room who spoke passionately against the bar.
"I don’t see any good compelling reason for them to stay open any longer," board member Alan Miles said.
But Boxers' owner Fluet said the criticism was unjust.
"All we’re doing is trying to be a good neighbor and I feel like we’re being attacked," he said. "No matter what we do, they don’t want us here."
The question will now come before the full board at its monthly meeting on Thurs. April 14 at 6 p.m. at St. Xavier High School at 30 W. 16th St.
