Killer Mike, 2 Chainz, club owners blast Atlanta leaders over proposed nuisance club law

ATLANTA - The effort to strengthen the nuisance law in the city of Atlanta is in jeopardy.

The sponsor, Atlanta City Council member Dustin Hillis, admitted on Monday wavering support for the measure forced him to send his paper back to committee for more discussion.

Club owners and entertainers showed up in substantial numbers at City Hall to protest the action during a meeting on Monday.

The proposal would set a timeline for a potential shutdown of a business that has repeated incidents of gunplay or crimes during a two-year period.

Hillis said his bill is misunderstood in two ways. For one, it does not specifically target a club. Instead, any business could see a nuisance claim filed by the city solicitor. Secondly, it could well be numerous -- not just two infractions -- that could lead to enforcement action.

Mike Render, better known by his stage name Killer Mike, told members on Monday the legislation did not have adequate involvement from the owners before the council got set to vote.

The owners also believe it is unfair to hold them responsible for trouble that does not happen inside their buildings, but on the exterior.

He also reminded the city council some of them seek political donations from the entertainment community when they make a bid for re-election.

The next time this measure can be discussed will be at the next Public Safety Committee meeting on Monday.