New Roosevelt Bar to close under deal

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The New Roosevelt Bar will close its doors following 35 incidents, including a homicide, there in less than a year.

Under an agreement between the city and the bar's owner, the bar will shut down immediately.

Its liquor license will be held in escrow and the owner will sell it. Whoever buys the license -- which can be used anywhere, not just in Grand Rapids -- will need to get state approval.

If the buyer plans to use the license in Grand Rapids, the city will be able to approve or deny the sale. If used at the same location in the 1400 block of Grandville Avenue SW, the city will be allowed to impose restrictions on that business regarding hours of operation, age of patrons, etc.

The agreement was signed Tuesday morning and approved by unanimous vote of the Grand Rapids City Commission.

The owner says she plans to repurpose the building.

Grand Rapids officials last week said they would ask the state Liquor Control Commission to revoke the bar's license after a number of incidents, including the death of Wellington Guevara, at the bar in the last year.

Guevara, known as "Ponci" to his friends and family, died after he was shot twice in the chest in November 2012 outside the bar.

Last month, four people, including a security guard, were shot and survived after an incident outside New Roosevelt.