Downtown business employees upset over Zelda’s Nightclub shut down

One of Palm Springs most popular, and troublesome, nightlife attractions will be shut down for the next month and a half due to increased violence and multiple security code violations.

Wednesday night, the Palm Springs City Council voted 4 to 1 to hold a hearing on May 22 to discuss possibly revoking or modifying the permit for Zelda’s nightclub. The club will be closed until then.

Most managers at businesses in downtown Palm Springs told News Channel 3 outdoor cameras are not required according to their conditional use permit, the way it was required for Zelda’s. The managers of those other businesses said they did voluntarily decide to install security cameras in and outside of their establishments for safety reasons.

The managers at Hunters Nightclub in Palm Springs said they have more than 50 cameras, plus security guards. Across the street at Blackbook, a manager said they are wired with more than a dozen cameras which been used for petty theft cases.

Palm Springs police said not being able to review footage from previous violent crimes at Zelda’s has made solving cases impossible. Officers said no other nightlife attraction has had the same caliber of violence occur.

In less than a month earlier this year, there was a deadly shooting and a “large fight” right outside the club.

While the club is shut down, the city council is requiring the establishment to author a new security plan which is to be endorsed by palm springs police.

Watch News Channel 3 at 11 p.m. to hear from other local businesses.