Copyright Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
The Hampton Planning Commission unanimously recommended the revocation of a use permit for Chances Restaurant and Lounge after four security incidents this year have forced police to increase their presence near the business. Chances will preserve its use permit until its revocation is approved by City Council, which is scheduled to vote on the matter Wednesday. Chances applied for a use permit in 2023 to allow for live entertainment and alcohol sales, which was approved in March 2024. The business opened last October along Settlers Landing Road, and operates until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and midnight the rest of the week. City code requires any such permitholders to provide security “sufficient to monitor and control patron behavior” inside and outside the business, and requires staff to report any criminal activity to Hampton police and cooperate with their investigations. Permits may be revoked for failing to supply adequate security or failing to report incidents or comply with police. Despite having security personnel posted outside the business, Hampton police officer Tyler Zminkowski told the Hampton Planning Commission during its Thursday meeting the business’ security is not doing enough to prevent city police from regularly responding. “This is commonplace at Chances to have people outside the business who are armed, who are loitering and mingling outside the business. Where Chances has said on multiple occasions they have no control over,” Zminkowski said. “But these are their patrons.” Zminkowski played video from Sept. 20 that captured gunfire outside the restaurant. At around 1:30 a.m., two people standing outside Chances shoot guns into the air. The video showed patrons mingling outside seek cover inside the business, but security staff blocked the door to prevent people from fleeing inside. At one point a security member pointed a gun at people lying on the ground. According to Zminkowski, police later learned one of the shooters was a patron at the lounge, and the other shooter currently has a warrant for their arrest. That was one of four incidents Zminkwoski highlighted to the Planning Commission. The three others were an April incident where patrons fought outside the bar and one fired a gun into the air, a May incident where a person left Chances and retrieved a rifle and held it in plain view outside the restaurant while looking at the door, and a May 5 homicide where a person died after being shot outside the restaurant. In total, Zminkowski said Hampton police have responded to 25 calls for service at the restaurant this year, which exclude other businesses that share the address, including three fights. He added police have significantly increased their patrols in the area near Chances, as well as added a real-time camera and light tower outside the business. Zminkowski said the bar is using up police resources for crowd control. “In response, HPD is taking extraordinary efforts to make sure that we are out there and we are showing a presence,” Zminkowski said. “But again, that pulls from our manpower that we already have.” Chances has already lost it’s liquor license — twice, according to according to the city’s interim Deputy of Community Development Steven Lynch. He said ABC suspended Chances liquor license after the May homicide due to failure to take reasonable measures to prevent violence. The license was reinstated two weeks later. But ABC revoked the license on Oct. 1 for further security incidents. The business responded to the revocation recommendation on Instagram on Friday, calling the decision “heartbreaking” for a business that tries to create a safe and welcoming community. “While we can’t control what happens once people leave, know that these actions still reflect back on us,” the post read. “What hurts the most is the impact this has on our employees and their families, who depend on Chances for their livelihood.” The restaurant owners were not present at the commission meeting and did not respond to a request for comment. Howard Smith, who owns the property, told the commission the revocation is regrettable, but he was already in the process of terminating the restaurant’s lease due to the safety incidents. “It just was not working,” Smith said. Commission Chair Michael Harris called the revocation unfortunate, but necessary for Hampton. “We want you to bring your business here,” Harris said. “At the same time, we want to let you know we want to keep a safe city. It affects our reputation.” Devlin Epding, 757-510-4037, devlin.epding@virginiamedia.com
