By Nicole Karlis
nicole-karlis@uiowa.edu

Summit owner Mike Porter filed a lawsuit against the City of Iowa City around 4 p.m. today, calling the city’s new guidelines for liquor-license denials unconstitutional and unlawful.

Iowa City Chief Sam Hargadine recommended The Summit’s denial earlier this month after the bar’s PAULA-per-visit ratio clocked in at a 1.925 — significantly higher than the new renewal guidelines mandating establishments keep ratios under 1.00.

Porter, armed with his attorney Steven J. Havercamp, will face the City Council at its meeting tonight at 7 p.m. Porter will make his case against the denial, and then the council is expected to vote.

Porter said he plans to give the lawsuit papers to councilors tonight.

“I’d imagine I’ll give it to them when we go up to the podium,” he said.

The Summit, 10 S. Clinton St., is the third bar to face the City Council under the new denial guidelines. The council denied Et Cetera, 118 S. Dubuque St., and 3rd Base Sports Bar, 111 E. College St., their liquor-licenses renewals last summer after both failed to be under the 1.00 ratio.

Both appealed to the state and are now waiting for a decision.

The Summit’s lawsuit states the city’s guidelines are a result of the council’s wish to make downtown bars 21-only. Summit, Et Cetera, and 3rd Base — also known as The Fieldhouse — all allow patrons 19 years or older.

“The actions taken by the City against Plaintiffs are willful, wanton and done with malice,” according to the filed lawsuit papers.

The lawsuit also states the city’s actions will significantly hurt the Summit’s business, as it did with Et Cetera and Fieldhouse. It is believed the Fieldhouse lost nearly 80 percent of gross receipts in the two months immediately following the city’s disapproval of their liquor-license, the lawsuit shows.

Follow DI reporter Nicole Karlis for updates throughout tonight’s meeting, and read tomorrow’s Daily Iowan for extensive coverage.