Editorial

The buzz seems to be dying out in Newport Beach.

The city has long been considered a hot spot -- hot real estate, hot

residents, hot beach scene.

But for years, there has not been much of a night life. Apparently in

Newport, those who venture out after dark do not belong.

It’s the same story almost every time: A new nightclub opens. Young,

hip crowds descend upon it. Celebrities such as Dennis Rodman make it a

hangout. Then the complaints start -- it’s too loud, too lewd, illicit

even. So the police crack down on the place.

Ultimately, the club is run out of business, either because the city

pulls its permit or places heavy-handed noise-control conditions on it.

In January, Twin Palms succumbed. Before it, Snug Harbor, the Cannery

and Windows on the Bay.

The Buzz may become the latest casualty in the city’s battle against

boogie. The popular night spot -- a restaurant with a dance floor -- has

gained a reputation for being wild and unruly. Great for clubgoers, bad

for the city.

City officials say a dance floor was never a part of the approved

permit -- which was granted in May 1998 for a restaurant and an

interactive video and sports game area -- and that the owners of the Buzz

never consulted the Planning Commission to make the change.

And perhaps they’re right.

But maybe the Via Oporto restaurant has just given them a golden

opportunity to shutter the club without seeming as if they were targeting

night spots.

A few years ago, at almost the same address, a similar scene played

out. A short-lived dance club called the Thunderbird came to town. But

not for long. Almost as soon as it swung open its doors, the city tried

to shut them.

In the end, it was the county’s health department that beat the city

to the punch. The city had set an April closure deadline for the club in

1996, but the business was shut down about two weeks earlier for health

code violations.

So, it doesn’t bode well for the Buzz, which will face its judgment

day next month.