Tempe Tavern Sues City, Alleging Selective Enforcement and Smear Campaign

Overview

• Owners filed a Feb. 24 notice of claim and subsequent lawsuits seeking more than $9 million, accusing Tempe of targeting the bar and defaming it.
• The city calls the allegations absurd and cites community complaints, noting roughly 420 of 530 underage-related arrests citywide over two years occurred at the bar.
• Police operations in 2025 included an April raid with 173 arrests and a November sweep with nearly 250 cited or arrested at the establishment.
• The bar disputes police statements linking it to a fatal September hit-and-run, saying the 19-year-old used a convincing fake ID and had visited other gatherings that night.
• Owners report revenue has fallen to about 10% of previous levels, the DLLC probe continues, and a separate suit seeks the hit-and-run police report.