A New Haven nightclub isn't back in business as the owner would have hoped.
Six people were shot and one person was killed during last month's shooting at the Key Club. The state has delayed its reopening over security concerns.
The mayor's office says it's unlikely the place is going to open at all this week though that was the original plan. But the establishment has gotten rid of the "Key Club" name in an effort to move past the tragedy.
"I don’t think they should be opening it back up just not this soon because of all the bad vibes that may be there," said Capri Ritter, who never went to the St. John Street club but said some of her friends were there the night six people were shot in late October. "I know a lot of people have memories of being there and actually witnessing the shooting and I don’t think it’ll be good for business."
It's a business that's hoping to reopen under a new name: Primo's Gentlemen's Club. Originally the plan was to open Monday night but the city says it's working on preventing it.
"The bottom line is it’s the same establishment," said Alderman Michael Smart, who represents the neighborhood. "Six individuals got shot there. One person died and in good conscience I wouldn’t feel good and I don’t feel good about seeing that establishment open again."
Smart says the owners never contacted him or his community about safety measures.
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"I understand they’re putting measures in place but that’s a sore spot and that’s something I don’t support. I don’t feel comfortable with it," he added.
"I’m hoping the city knows what they’re doing and they’ve taken the precautions they’ve needed to and the police department is also doing the same thing," said Enoc Reyes, also a New Haven resident.
The mayor has proposed that private security at clubs be licensed and though the place has hired new security personnel, the mayor's office tells us it didn't receive the proper permissions to open because the state still had concerns.
"Yeah change the name and think that whatever happened there is going to go away or the next time around will go differently," Ritter said.
NBC Connecticut reached out to the person handling new security here but we never heard back.
