Club Atlantis to close doors for good

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Club Atlantis in downtown Mobile has garnered a lot of attention over the years and not all of it good has been good.

The club's owner, Mark Stafford, announced at a pre-city council meeting Tuesday that he was shutting it down for good.

"He showed up and announced the club was closed effective immediately and would not reopen. He did not really elaborate on that. my concern is that he waits a couple months till the fervor dies down and then reopens as something else,” said Stacy Wellborn, a downtown business owner and resident.

The move comes just days after a shooting outside the night club. Police say 18-year-old Cedric Burroughs shot and killed Darryl Casher during a dispute that began inside Atlantis.

Downtown business owners said that was the last straw. Many joined a virtual petition to shut it down.

John Serda, owner of Serda's Coffee, started the petition.

"In less than eight hours, we had 1,000 signatures,” said Serda.

He said many businesses downtown are fed up with the "violent element" that Atlantis seems to attract.

"It's unfortunate that the club, which directly had nothing to do with this incident, still has to bare some responsibility for bringing in the certain element that is violent,” said Serda.

"I've seen two people get shot in eight weeks that are seemingly directly related from that club activity. So whether it's underage drinking, drugs, just young people downtown, this club seems to be drawing that element," said Wellborn.