Milan bar fined $800 for hosting unregulated bikini Jell-O wrestling tournament
An unregulated bikini Jell-O wrestling tournament on Super Bowl Sunday cost a Milan bar owner $800 in fines, according to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
Dino’s Dugout Sports Lounge, at 1035 Dexter St., was cited for six violations, including failing to have a proper entertainment permit and serving already intoxicated patrons during the Feb. 7 event that coincided with Super Bowl XLII.
Commission records indicate the panel investigated the matter for two months and concluded the owners also allowed intoxicated people to loiter, gave alcoholic beverages away for free, and didn’t have a current business charter filed with the state.
Dino's Dugout was fined for hosting a Jell-O wrestling tournament.
Art Aisner | For AnnArbor.com
A hearing on the violations occurred in early May, and owner Dino Koukoumtzis recently acknowledged three of the citations, records show.
Koukoumtzis admitted to selling alcohol to an intoxicated person, not having a proper dance-entertainment permit, and the charter violation. He paid $500, $200 and $100, respectively, on the violations. The three other citations were dismissed, records show.
Commission officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but previously said the charges could warrant revocation of the liquor license, which is shared with the Campfire Restaurant at the same location.
The violations were forwarded to the state by Milan police after officers arrested one of the wrestlers for drunken driving shortly after she left the bar. Jennifer McComas, 29, was clad in a bikini and covered in orange Jell-O when police stopped her vehicle for running a stop sign, reports said.
Police couldn’t conduct typical sobriety tests because of the 20-degree temperatures but determined she had a blood alcohol content of .147, nearly double the state’s legal limit to drive. McComas, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of impaired driving last month and was sentenced to probation, court records show.
Both the restaurant and sports bar continue operating as they have since before the event.
Koukoumtzis declined to comment about the violations or whether he would host similar events in the future. He said the issue with the business charter was a minor oversight after he inherited the family business several years ago.
“We’re just going to move forward,” he said.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
SweetlikeJellO
Fri, Jun 18, 2010 : 1:09 p.m.
Wow so Milan PD wasted all that time and tax money to prove what? Yet the story needs to focus on the fact that we have another multiple drunk driving offender only put on probation...Why wasn't the money spent to send this chick to prison, oh so she can get in her car again drunk and maybe the next time kill an innocent person...Thankful I no longer pay taxes in Milan, surely don't want to pay these incompetent people salary...Oh and Milan PD surely like to hang out at this bar...Maybe Milan PD needs to be investigated.
Dino Koukoumtzis
Thu, Jun 17, 2010 : 4:44 p.m.
Hello People... This is Dino speaking. We put preventative measures in place on Super Bowl Sunday 2010. There was a shuttle service and reservations at the Sleep Inn of Milan. If you make a good choice and take a ride and/or stay the night in a FREE room, you would have shared a great experience with us. We did not have a "Tournament". Some girls agreed to wrestle as a fundraiser for a community event. If you would like to hear about our upcoming events or chat about past events, join our Facebook page. You can find it by searching for Dino Koukoumtzis which the Dugout Sports Bar & Grille is listed underneath. If you really want to know the type of establishment this is, come out and see for yourself! By the way we are located at 1035 Dexter Street in Milan, Michigan 48160 or call 734-439-8860.
ChunkyPastaSauce
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 8:07 p.m.
Hmm nice.. spend two month investing jello wrestling instead of something thats actually constructive. Oh in the process give the place that you are trying to give a hard time so much publicity (good for them) that it easily outweighs the fines. Excellent job. Keep up the good work!
Mikey2u
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 7:07 p.m.
Selling alcohol to an intoxicated person = $500.00 Not having a proper dance-entertainment permit = $200.00 Charter violation = $100.00 Full Page of advertising in Ann Arbor Dot Com = Priceless
Gorc
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 5:48 p.m.
How much do you think a Jello-wrestling permit cost from the city?
Trouble
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 4:59 p.m.
Not worse than Oil Spill. Leave Bikini People Alone!
lumberg48108
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 3:20 p.m.
"pull his liquoir license" for paperwork violations? how draconian can u get with that punishment! he was not serving minors folks - and a paid entertainer had too much too drink and left -- that is on her! the investigation and the (waste) money spent is on the LLC -- not Dino
Dark Dichotomy
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 2:48 p.m.
While most of these comments are from party animals asking how they missed out on the fun, a few people have made some very interesting points. $800 in fines? First he probably made far more in profit, so it doesn't seem much of a penalty. Certainly $800 is not going to pay for the 2 month investigation, so the taxpayers have paid for a 2 month investigation while Dino pockets most of the profits from the event. Dino declined to comment on whether he would hold similar events in the future. I mean why not? He makes a profit, pays a small fee and then the taxpayers pay to clean up his mess. Must sound like a pretty good deal to Dino, even these stories just seem to be adding to his business. I say they need to pull his liquoir license for a bit to remind him that he must follow the law. I mean all he had to do was a bit of paperwork and cut off a few heavy drinkers, not like it would be that hard to do it legally.
Davidian
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 2:39 p.m.
Jesus what a waste of time and money.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 1:16 p.m.
you know, I think kraft would one up their J-E-LL-O commericals with a superbowl add featuring Jello wrestling chickeepoos (a la the beer commercials of the same nature)
dading dont delete me bro
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 11:48 a.m.
that's some expen$ive jell-o... how can i get on a mailing list?
TaxPayer
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 11:36 a.m.
I am more disturbed that the intoxicated woman driving only got probation.
a2migrl
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 10:37 a.m.
@eyehearta2, I meant without the permits or permission. How difficult can it be to get one? The authorities never would have found out had one of the 'contestants' not been stopped by the police when she left the establishment. Next time just be a little more careful and the good clean fun can continue.
belboz
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 10:35 a.m.
"cited for... serving already intoxicated patrons..." "the owners also allowed intoxicated people to loiter..." Well, that sounds like every bar I have ever been to in Michigan. Patrons in a bar are generally intoxicated : is that not the purpose of going to the bar? And what is an intoxicated person going to do other than loiter? They can't get in their car and drive. Nor can the guy loitering next to them. So, they are all probably standing around wondering where the closest Denny's is.
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 8:54 a.m.
Having solved all other problems, Milan cracks down on unregulated jell-o wrestling. Certainly we wouldn't want to allow any jell-o wrestling gulf oil spill disasters to occur. Seriously though, will $800 in fines even cover the cost of the investigation? If they're going to bother to investigate people for this stuff then they might as well make sure the fines are going to pay for the investigation.
tdw
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 8:50 a.m.
I'm with Craig,lunberg and Top Cat on this one. I think A2.com is neglecting their duties by not having pictures though
a2migrl
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 8:28 a.m.
$800 fine? I am sure that they made more profit than that. What is to stop them from doing this again? They should have to pay the fine and relinquish all proceeds. I am sure they made more than the fine to be paid.
ERIC MEYERS
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 8:19 a.m.
Boy this a real Important Story with all the more Important stuff going on in the state and nationally right now.
lumberg48108
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 8:14 a.m.
@Craig Lounsbury Best Post of the week belongs to you! When I read these comments I was honestly expecting the usual puritanical nonsense about how bad this place is for Milan and how such contests are immoral etc etc yada yada yada was a pleasant surprise!
Top Cat
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 7:58 a.m.
What a bunch of killjoys. Why do I always find out about these things after they happen? I think there are people with too much time on their hands.
Marvin Face
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 7:23 a.m.
Michigan Liquor Control Commission Inversitigation Panel: "We had to sit through every second of that vile, putrid, disgusting video of the bikini jell-o wrestling match. Twice."
Soothslayer
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 7:22 a.m.
What, no pictures for this story? Shoddy reporting, pffft... =)
pragmatic
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 7:07 a.m.
Two months of investigation? I guess they wanted to make absolutely sure that the Jell-O wrestlers were actually wearing bikinis and that Jell-O was the medium that they were wrestling in. Great use of taxpayer funds.
Marshall Applewhite
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 7:01 a.m.
I'd like to personally apply for the position of "Jell-O Wrestling Quality Control Officer." Trust me, none of these egregious violations will ever take place again.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 6:37 a.m.
"An unregulated bikini Jell-O wrestling tournament..." The notion that a bikini Jell-O wrestling tournament can be regulated suggests Government may be too big. Are the bikini Jell-O wrestling tournament regulators appointees of the governor or are they career civil servants? I hope not the former as I shudder to think that bikini Jell-O wrestling tournaments could be politicized. I'm also wondering how one could get on a mailing list for future Dinos Dugout Sports Lounge events?
GoblueBeatOSU
Wed, Jun 16, 2010 : 5:36 a.m.
"Commission records indicate...gave alcoholic beverages away for free"......Why do I always miss the fun stuff...I'm always looking for a free beer.