Knox County district attorney shuts down The Ball strip club as 'public nuisance'

The Ball, a Knoxville strip club on Alcoa Highway, has been shut down.

Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen announced Thursday her office closed The Ball Gentleman's Club and Jolly's Sports Bar because it is considered a "public nuisance." The business was the location of a homicide, shootings, fights "and other violent behavior," according to a news release.

"Owners, managers and employees of The Ball are either unwilling or incapable of controlling the criminal activity occurring on the property, leading to an environment that creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk of harm to patrons and the surrounding community," the release stated.

Functionally, The Ball is closed under the state's nuisance injunction law. It was approved by Judge Steve Sword.

The strip club president said in a statement the crimes committed there were "the result of actions of people who were trespassing on our property and whom had been repeatedly asked to leave the premises."

"We are consulting with our attorneys, and we plan to vigorously defend our right to operate our legal business," said John Nichols, president of The Ball.

The injunction filed by the DA's office includes pages of police activity and different calls for service at The Ball over the last few years. Knoxville police have been called to the business more than 80 times, the release states.

The owners can appear in court next week to argue why the closure should not be permanent.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: The Ball strip club shut down by Knox County district attorney