MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The owners of a Morgantown club involved in a frat party last year relinquished their state licenses to serve alcohol Monday.
State Alcohol Beverage Control Administration spokesman Gig Robinson said Great Sound, LLC, was doing business as Boomers the night last year a number of fraternity pledges were part of a disorderly conduct investigation.
Morgantown police said three Sigma Chi pledges were arrested and 16 others cited after they were found in “various states of intoxication” in the South Park neighborhood early Nov. 6.
The fraternity reportedly reserved the nightclub on Walnut Street prior to the drunken pledges being dropped off in the residential neighborhood and told to find their way back to the Sigma Chi house—an activity the fraternity described as a team-building exercise.
Three days prior to a scheduled hearing with the ABCA, the club owners voluntarily turned in their licenses.
“So, in essence, that license is no more. The names on the license will be out of business and prohibited with being associated with the business for the next five years in the state of West Virginia,” Robinson said.
Morgantown police said the Sigma Chi fraternity “acknowledged their involvement with the incident” and was cooperative with the department during the investigation.
The incident led to a suspension of the fraternity by West Virginia University officials and sparked a debate about cultural change around campus.
“Ours is a piece of that puzzle—working with law enforcement, working with other departments within the city and working with all the different areas of WVU,” said Robinson.
“This is an issue that universities face all across the United States. When you see programs that really start to improve the culture, it is a comprehensive approach. We stand with Morgantown and WVU to be able to provide resources those resources and work with them to try to keep everyone safe.”