Clubland

Council to Metropolis owner: bad boy!

By Noah Bruce

Thomas Manning, the owner of the ill-fated nightclub the Metropolis, wants another chance.

The city council heard a request for a liquor license for a club Manning wants to open at 416 Fore Street during their meeting on Monday, December 4. Councilors were wary of Manning’s request due to the Metropolis’s past.

The Metropolis, located on Forest Avenue, was closed in April of 1999 after police raided an all-night rave there and arrested six people, including one of Manning’s employees, on drug-related charges. Police also charged Manning’s company with criminal liability for allowing blatant drug sales within the club. The charges against the company were later dropped.

The council took the opportunity to give Manning a good slap on the wrist.

Councilor Philip Dawson told Manning, “Perhaps you are a good manager, but you were in the wrong business at that time. I still feel that way. You said you didn’t know [about the drugs], but teenagers knew about it and talked about it openly.”

Councilor Jay Hibbard told the council he was “not comfortable” with the idea of Manning being granted another license and he would vote to deny his request.

At one point Councilor Peter O’Donnell asked Manning how he was affected by the events at the Metropolis. Manning replied that he was horrified by all the media coverage and told O’Donnell, “You can’t imagine what that experience does to a person, to your sleep, to your nervous system.”

“I can imagine,” said O’Donnell. “What did you learn from this experience?”

Manning, who is a South Portland native but lives in Massachusetts, said he learned he needed to keep a tighter watch on his clubs.

Manning explained that “the all-night parties were what brought the Metropolis down,” and vowed never to host such an event at any of his other clubs. He also offered his ownership of the successful nightclubs the Iguana Lounge on Wharf Street and the Pavilion on Middle Street as proof of his credibility.

Councilor Dawson summed up the council’s mood, telling Manning he wanted to see him succeed, but he was “on a short leash” with the council. The council ended up tabling the issue until the next meeting on December 18.