FOLEY, Ala. — The city sent a clear and unmistakable message to raucous, noisy bars on Monday. The message is, keep it orderly and quiet or run the risk of losing your business license.

That’s what happened to La Revancha, a bar located on the east side of South McKenzie Street between County Roads 12 and 10. After hearing a litany that included fighting, noise complaints, excessive drinking and evidence of drugs at the bar, the mayor and council voted unanimously to revoke La Revancha’s business license, which means the bar loses its alcohol license as well.

According to a city spokeswoman, the bar’s original business license was granted on Oct. 6, 2004.

“We don’t want businesses operating like this,” Police Chief David Wilson said after one of his officers and a member of the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board’s Enforcement Division addressed the council concerning La Revancha’s dubious history of late.

Lt. Thurston Bullock, who heads up Foley Police Department’s Patrol Division, told the mayor and council during the public hearing on the bar’s business license that between May 10, 2005, and July 3, 2008, FPD had responded to 75 total incidents at the bar. Bullock said those 75 calls didn’t include calls FPD received while officers were already at the scene.

During that same period of time, Bullock said FPD had responded to 23 fight calls at the bar and a “riot” when police stopped a concert at the business on one occasion. Also, numerous noise and trash complaints have been made against the bar as well as complaints regarding vehicle damage in and around the bar.

Excessive drinking at the bar has resulted in bar patrons frequently being seen passed out inside the bar and outside in the parking lot, Bullock said. He cited one 16-year-old arrested at the bar who had a blood alcohol level of .14 (.08 is the legal limit). Cocaine has also been recovered on the premises, Bullock said.

From July 3, 2008, to the present, Bullock said six loud music complaints had been reported to FPD in connection with La Revancha, vandalism to a vehicle, a suspicious person, and two fights - one involving a gun.

“This is a nuisance not only to citizens but to businesses in the area and to my officers as well,” Bullock told the mayor and council.

Bullock showed the council the signatures of 29 people who live in the area of La Revancha and two other nearby bars that are actually in county jurisdiction. Those people want something done, especially about the noise, Bullock said.

Sgt. Tim Spears of ABC Enforcement said 19 different administrative citations have been leveled against La Revancha since 2005, “a very high amount” when compared to other area bars, he said. The latest citation came in October 2008, he pointed out.

Twelve to 14 of those citations carried fines, the lowest being $200, Spears said.

“We will stand by the city,” Spears said. “If you don’t give them a (business) license, we won’t (give them an alcohol license).”

During the public hearing, Jerry Parnell of Chestnut Drive identified himself as one of the complaintants where the bar is concerned.

“Sometimes at three or four o’clock in the morning they wake us up,” he said. “This is all the time. There are two bars worse than this one.”

Parnell’s reference appears to be to Ya Ya’s and Club Galaxia, two bars within a stone’s throw of La Revancha, both of which are outside Foley corporate limits.

Of La Revancha, Parnell said the bar owner needs to patrol the parking lot of his business.

“I want some protection from all this noise,” Parnell told the mayor and council.

“We’re in a pickle,” Roger Potter of Chestnut Drive said of La Revancha’s noise and the noise from Ya Ya’s and Club Galaxia.

Spears said ABC has done inspections of the two county bars as well, bars he said have been open less than a year.

Lisa Krauss, who lives in the same area, told the council her family too is tired of the noise.

“We can’t watch TV at night time” due to the noise, she said.

Ciro Arrellano, owner of La Revancha, said during the public hearing that the police’s estimation of the problems at the bar were correct; that he had personal problems that took him out of the country a lot. The people he left in charge of the bar didn’t run it properly, he said.

Following the council’s vote to revoke La Revancha’s business license, Meg Hellmich, the city’s revenue officer who handles business licenses, asked the mayor for the exact time the license revocation would take effect. Mayor John Koniar looked at his watch and said, “As of six o’clock (p.m.) today.”

“We’re hoping the council’s action sends a strong message to our bar owners in Foley,” Chief Wilson said after the council meeting.

“If you operate a wreckless bar, that’s not acceptable. We’ll try to work with you but if you have a free for all business, the council and Police Department won’t put up with it. The citizens of Foley don’t want this kind of conduct.”

Wilson said the city isn’t against bars, but bar owners have got to “operate an orderly, peaceful bar.”

Wilson also said FPD and the city are attempting to formulate a plan to address citizen complaints regarding the two county bars near La Revancha.