Heralded as the best dance club in the country by Rolling Stone in 2013, Beta Event Center’s reign over the local scene has seemingly come to an end. The popular LoDo nightclub — known for booking high-profile electronic acts like Megalodon — had its liquor license revoked earlier this week by the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, according to an update from 9 News.
The loss of the Beta’s liquor license is the latest development in an investigation into the nightclub, which was started by Denver Police in May of 2021. The investigation focused on the nightclub’s lax policies, which made fights in the club a frequent occurrence. The policies allowed gang members to enter the club despite visible displays of their gang affiliations, and it failed to stop patrons from bringing weapons like guns into the club. The club also faced other charges, including serving patrons liquor after the 2 a.m. last call.
Throughout the club’s decade-long history, it has helped define the local EDM scene, but not without a few bumps along the way. Beta shut down unexpectedly in 2019, only to reopen shortly before the pandemic put an end to live music. Over the course of the last decade, there have also been a number of incidents attributed to the nightclub, including a shooting in August of 2021 that left five injured and one dead. The club’s owner, Valentes Corleons, responded in a comment to a local news station saying that the club was not to blame for the incident.
Earlier this week, similar safety concerns led to the suspension of Cabin Tap House’s liquor license, another establishment owned by Corleons. The Tap House lost its liquor license and remains closed while an investigation assesses a shooting that occurred there on New Year’s day, resulting in the loss of two lives.
It is unclear at this time whether both of the establishments will remain permanently closed or re-open again sometime in the future.