O’Malley’s Alley in Ocala Florida

by **BBelleTB** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:40 am

Any of you who go to hits in Ocala and have been to or go to O'Malleys Alley, the local bar in the square- A friend sent me this artice today and asked me to tell everyone in the horse world i know- maybe we can help.  Anyone who has NOT been there, will not uinderstand and will think this article is good, and shutting omalley's down is a good idea.  Its not. A lot of my friend work there, and i met a ton of friends there in the last few years,  Its a great establishment they just have some staffing issues (like not enough for the number of people they let in there) i think the problems could be resolved, the issue really lies in that other shop owners in the square dont want omalleys there. (the same thing is going on with Fat Kayts Artistry, the tattoo shop in the square)  Its about the image the city people have about the town and they think omalleys takes away from that.
Anyways here it is-sorry its such a long post
Many of you have played on the stage at O'Malley's (and hopefully will continue) or had a wonderful moment here. It's taken many years to develop a local seen in this city with many road bumps. I would like for you to read the article from the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1:place>Ocala</st1:place></st1:City> star banner that ran yesterday - see below (http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 8031449431). Although the numbers are correct (for the most part) the mayor is skewing the information to appear that O'Malley's is a horrible place. Keep in mind that O'Malley's on any given night has 500 to 2000+ patrons. If you look at the statistics, this is average for a night club and city of this size. Also keep in mind that it is O'Malley's policy that when a patron gets out of hand, security restrains that person and calls the <st1:City><st1:place>Ocala</st1:place></st1:City> police for assistance. The mayor has a personal agenda (grudge) for the owner of O'Malley's (George Carrasco). I do not want to interject to much of my personal opinion thus skewing you, however I do ask that if, after reading the below article, you would like to support the future of local (Florida) original music in this area, you write to the city council members and the mayor with an intelligent response to they're actions
Thank You
--Rick Trapp--
Skyco sound - O'Malley's Alley (Ocala)
http://www.omalleysalley.com/
24 S Magnolia Ave
Ocala, FL 34474-4151

<st1:PersonName>CITYHALL@ocalafl.org</st1:PersonName>
<st1:PersonName>GErgle@ocalafl.org</st1:PersonName>  (Mayor)
<st1:PersonName>MAmsden@ocalafl.org</st1:PersonName> (<st1:PersonName>City Council Member</st1:PersonName>)
<st1:PersonName>KKay@ocalafl.org</st1:PersonName> (<st1:PersonName>City Council Member</st1:PersonName>)
<st1:PersonName>DOwen@ocalafl.org</st1:PersonName> (<st1:PersonName>City Council Member</st1:PersonName>)
<st1:PersonName>KGuinn@ocalafl.org</st1:PersonName> (<st1:PersonName>City Council Member</st1:PersonName>)
MRich@ocalafl.org (<st1:PersonName>City Council Member</st1:PersonName>)

PS There is a meeting to decide the fate of O'Malley's on Tuesday February 22 at 7:pm in City Hall <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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151 Se Osceola Ave Ocala, FL 34471-2148
If you can, please show your support for O'Malley's by attending (see link to a map below)<o:p></o:p></TD></TR></T></TABLE>

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?co ... 471%2d2148

City looks to shut down O'Malley's
Mayor, police recommend that <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Ocala</st1:PlaceName> <st1:place>City</st1:place></st1:place> Council pull bar's location permit.

BY CHRISTOPHER CURRY, Staff Writer
The Ocala Police Department thinks it is time for the city to clamp down on a popular <st1:City><st1:place>Ocala</st1:place></st1:City> bar that is famous — some might say infamous — for its Wednesday "fight nights."

The police department has asked City Council to revoke or suspend the location-use permit issued to O'Malley's Alley, which opened on St. Patrick's Day 1997 along South Magnolia Avenue on the west side of the downtown square.

Police and Mayor Gerald Ergle, who oversees the department, laid out their case in a letter to council members and the bar's owner, local entrepreneur George Carrasco. The letter highlighted a series of bar brawls — some between patrons, some between customers and bouncers — which often spilled out onto the sidewalk.

There were 21 arrests for underage possession of alcohol, several arrests of bartenders for selling alcohol to minors and some arrests for drunk and disorderly conduct.

They were among some 56 incidents detailed as evidence alleging that the bar had violated <st1:State><st1:place>Florida</st1:place></st1:State> law governing the sale of alcohol and created a public "nuisance" in violation of city ordinance. The letter also stated there were 209 other police calls to the establishment over the last two years.

This will not be the first time Carrasco has locked horns with City Council. In early 2003, the council considered, but did not pass, an ordinance that would have banned amateur boxing in businesses selling alcohol, and killed O'Malley's popular Wednesday "fight night."

Ergle, who defeated Carrasco in the 2003 mayoral election, said, "It has now gotten to the point where you feel you have enough evidence and information that you can make a compelling case for the council to move forward with a decision to revoke (the permit).

"I don't think it's a matter of what kind of business you want or don't want," Ergle said. "What you have is a business creating an unhealthy atmosphere for the rest of the downtown, and you are getting complaints.

"You have to take a look at it. It's not the fact that it's a bar. We have bars downtown that we don't get a call to. It's the fact that we've had problems from the clientele there. I would say from the police calls to that area, we're using an awful lot of resources on that bar," he said.

Carrasco said that it "looks like I may have to print a ‘for sale’ sign." He said if he cannot convince City Council not to revoke his permit to operate a bar at that location, he likely will sell or lease out the building.

Carrasco said he does not believe the city is out to get him, but that the complexion of downtown has changed from an area that had 10 bars when O'Malley's opened.

Carrasco acknowledged that "there are some legitimate concerns" about the number police calls to the bar.

"I'm not making light of the situation," he said. "That's part of the business I'm in – the most embarrassing part of the business. We have a lot of people coming through there seven nights a week. My employees do the best they can. We cannot predict how people are going to act at any given moment. All we can do is react, get them out of the building and try to keep everybody safe."

Carrasco said he has personally notified police about a minor in possession of alcohol in the bar. He said he believed the recent city law banning people under age 21 from going into bars and nightclubs would have alleviated many of the problems police say they are having at O'Malley's.

"I think it's kind of gotten out of control there," City Councilman Kent Guinn said of O'Malley's. "Fights on the sidewalk. People being beat up. Personally, I don't think that's the appropriate location for that establishment. I think Mr. Carrasco is a fine man, but I think it's gotten bigger than him right now."

The memo from the police department detailed a string of 12 police calls for fights and batteries at the bar in the last nine months.

"It looks like the place you go to break the law," said City Councilman Daniel Owen. "And it takes away from police protection in the rest of the city when the police have to concentrate in that area . . . You just wonder if there's anything being done to curb that kind of activity from a business owner standpoint."

City Council President Kyle Kay said he believed the incidents detailed in the police recommendation made a convincing case.

"I think the facts point to a problem at that location and if the police department and the mayor see enough to recommend revoking the permit, I think it needs to be revoked.

The City Council is currently scheduled to consider the recommendation to revoke the location permit for O'Malley's Alley at the Feb. 22 meeting, which begins at 7 p.m.

Ergle said if the council votes to revoke the permit, Carrasco would have the options of applying to get a permit for another location in the city, applying for a permit in the unincorporated county or closing the bar.

Christopher Curry covers public safety and can be contacted at chris.curry@starbanner.com or (352) 867-4115<o:p></o:p>

by **Lix** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:55 am

I don't know anything about this place nor does it affect me in any way but... If the place has more fights than the other bars, and police are often called there, I understand why it is a concern. The police force was not created to break up bar fights and maybe that's why they are getting annoyed? {i.e. they could be somewhere else instead) Like I said, I don't really know anything other than what I read just here but if there are problems of that magnitude, than isn't it the Bar Owner's responsibility, in good business management, to ensure that he has enough staff for the amount of patrons? It is his responsibility afterall to ensure that the place is as safe as possible. Sounds to me like he's cutting corners by not hiring enough people to 'supervise' the patrons that get out of hand. Anywho... <img border="0" src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0">

by **Wildie** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:01 am

I didn't read all of it, but I will have to say this. They were caught selling alcohol to multiple minors. They deserve to be shut down, good for the police for cracking down on them.

by **loki** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 11:46 pm

 I totally agree with wildie. The police should crack down.

by **BBelleTB** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:18 am

This is the letter from my friend, perhaps some of you will have a more open mind to the issue at hand after all, almost 89% of all establishments have been busted selling liquor to minors, in today's day and age, with fake ID so readily available and teeny boppers looking more and more like adults its bound to happen...That is not the issue at hand...(as it says in the article "Carrasco (the owner of O'Malley's) said he has personally notified police about a minor in possession of alcohol in the bar. He said he believed the recent city law banning people under age 21 from going into bars and nightclubs would have alleviated many of the problems police say they are having at O'Malley's"
You do not know me however I feel I should inform you as to whom I am. I am a home owner in Marion County. I am a voter in Marion County. I am a Taxpayer in Marion County. I have called Marion County home for 20 years.  I am highly educated. I have an Acoustical Engineering Degree.  I am friends with many business openers & corporate Presidents. I work for a corporate office and report to the VP of operations. I spend money here in Marion County. I go to church with Mayor Ergle's son & family at the First United Methodist Church here in Ocala. I volunteer my time at that church to take care of & run the sound for their services. I donate one of my personal sound & light systems to Cafe' on the rock - a christian coffee house that offers Christian entertainment as an alternative to night clubs on the square. Now here's the shocking information. I am the sound person at O'Malley's Alley! Yes you heard it right. It is my sound system that you are calling noise. You would be shocked to know that I even have Christian bands play there. Yes it's true!!! Most of the patrons don't know this until the bands talk with them. Now this is not all the time as I have groups from all over this glorious country. It is art just like the CFCC center next door. Your opinions or taste in music is subjective. I have been in this business for over 25 years and have toured the world not to mention I have had 3 recordings on Billboards top 100 in 1992. I think I am highly qualified to voice my opinion on this. I understand that in the world not every listener enjoys all forms of music. Personally I can not stand Rap or Country music however I respect it and have been successful as an engineer working on projects that pertain to this style of art. In regards to the remarks made by you two "Council members Guinn and Amsden requested a solution to the band noise emanating from the back of O’Malley's Alley and street fights outside the bar on the Downtown Square" I have never heard of a complaint, nor have the police ever spoken to me (after almost 7 years). If this is an issue, here is my cell P# (excluded fromt his post), I leave it on 24/7 so someone can get in touch with me. I will interject by saying that I watch the sound levels. I do this to protect my hearing. I am exposed to the sound for around 4+ hours a night. If I have the levels to loud, I will do irreversible damage to them and this is not my purpose. I agree you can hear the music out on the street as it is an open air venue. That is its charm. Ocala has never had anything like this which is a shame. I have around $ 100,000 invested in this system which is partly why it can be heard. It's a very high quality sound system. Keep in mind that I donate my services to many events that the city sponsors. I have done one of the stop the violence shows. I have worked for the Tuscawilla youth center. I even had the mayor on stage at the Southeastern youth livestock fair last year. I give back to this city because it has been good to me. The live music here in Ocala has been my personal project. I have been building a good reputation in the US that Ocala has much talent. The agenda with O'Malley's does not stem from the music outside. I have, in 7 years, seen only 1 fight in the outside patio area. I read the article in the Ocala star banner and was a bit confused even a bit shocked by the numbers quoted. I haven't observed this place as unruly as it was made out to be. Just to interject, I did hear of a homicide associated with Midnight Rodeo and hear of several stabbings and shootings there. To the best of my knowledge that has never happened at O'Malley's and to be quite honest with you, I would have stopped running sound @ O'Malley's had I felt myself in a dangerous location. My subjective opinion on what is going on between O'Malley's and the city looks like a personal one although you can quote numbers to me I don't see any statistics as to number of patrons vs. calls etc. I find this a bit disturbing. Anyhow, that is not my issue. I took offense to the statement about "noise" in the agenda notes. I run sound for the enjoyment of the arts, something Ocala needs to improve on. I would love for Ocala/Marion County to have an outdoor amphitheater that orchestras could perform. I would love to see traveling Broadway plays come thru town. A high class Jazz club would add to the area. Please do not belittle my slice of the arts here in the town. There are always good and bad people in every city. I do not condone any bad behavior at the shows I do and never will. I do not want that. I enjoy seeing people enjoy good music and have a safe time.
Thank you.

O’Malley’s Alley in Ocala Florida

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