BUCKTOWN — The former Dolphin nightclub owner's effort to re-concept the club after a shooting that killed two men came at the request of multiple city departments.
The owners of the club met with officials from the Chicago Police Department, Law Department and Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection following the March 16 shooting.
Those groups asked the club owner, Sam Menetti, to voluntarily close for 60 days and re-concept the club, 2200 N. Ashland Ave.
The City of Chicago's Liquor Commissioner is putting strict new rules on the former Dolphin nightclub, but will allow the owner to continue operating as Rio Chicago.
The owners of Rio Chicago are set to meet with the Liquor Commissioner Wednesday to sign an amended venue plan to limit their days of operation to Friday and Saturdays.
The new plan of operation also requires the club to work with a single event promoter.
Rio Chicago, which is operated by the same owners as Dolphin, and before that The Green Dolphin, opened May 17 after a voluntary 60-day closure following the shooting deaths of two men outside the club.
Menetti is seeking to re-concept the club to fit a "better demographic" in an effort to prevent any further violence.
The owners of the club filed to change the name from Dolphin to Rio Chicago on May 5, according to Mika Stambaugh, a spokeswoman for the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.
Deonta Jackson, 35, and Elijah Moore, 41, were killed outside the club March 16 and a third man was injured.
The club's existing business licenses will be renewed and issued under the new name, Rio Chicago, according to Stambaugh.
"The City will continue to monitor the location and we encourage neighbors to call 311 or 911 if they experience any problems with this new establishment," Stambaugh said.
There have been more than 100 crimes committed at or in the immediate area around the business since 2001, an analysis of crime data found.
Ald. Scott Waguespack's chief of staff said the alderman has not changed his position on the club and is seeking to shut it down.
The owners of the club have brought in a consultant to re-concept with hopes of saving the business and building, which they own.
Frank Monroy, the consultant, said he plans to bring live Latin music into the club on Friday nights following by DJs and Saturday nights will feature live rock music by DJs playing top 40 club hits.
Monroy said he hopes to eventually book live music every night of the week.
The owners are also in the process of building out a restaurant in the establishment. The former Green Dolphin Street featured a full-service restaurant, but it was taken out when the club re-opened as Dolphin.
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