GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — FOX 17 obtained court documents Thursday showing that the owners of a now-closed restaurant in downtown Grand Rapids have decided to sue the city.
Ambiance GR Kitchen and Lounge closed in November 2022 due to what the owners said was happening outside of the club.
“The profound truth is that the business climate and the persistent safety issues that have increased all over downtown, in an unprecedented way, has caused us to reexamine our hefty ongoing investment in this establishment,” the nightclub said in a Facebook post about it closing its doors.
READ MORE: Nightclub closes amid concerns for public safety
According to the complaint, filed in the Kent County 17th Judicial Circuit Court, the city is accused of discrimination.
Specifically, it cites equal protection and Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act 453 of 1976.
Listed defendants include the city of Grand Rapids, the Grand Rapids Police Department and unknown Grand Rapids Police officers.
Court documents claim Ambiance GR requested an increased police presence, among other things, but it was not provided.
Additionally, the court documents say the city has provided, "such accommodation services of steady and increased patrol and police traffic control activity to white businesses over the past 30 years." The complaint says, "before, during and after Ambiance GR's presence in downtown Grand Rapids, when similarly positioned white owned downtown businesses requested the same increase [in] patrol services, that Ambiance GR was seeking, the city found a way to provide that increased level of police protection and services that it had denied Ambiance GR."
The owners are requesting more than $25,000 in damages from the defendants.
We've included the full complaint below:
Ambiance GR v City of Grand Rapids Complaint by WXMI on Scribd
