The Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a special use permit to John A. Jackson Jr. to open a sports bar at 165 U.S. 158 Bypass near the junction of Ruin Creek Road.

Jackson, in rebutting a minister and a resident against the proposed business, said, “It’s going to be a respectable kind of atmosphere.”

“If you’re looking for a place to go hang out and get drunk and slobber and harass other customers, no, that’s not what I have in mind. That’s not going to be me,” Jackson told the board, which met on Tuesday.

And Jackson said he will manage the business and will have a membership drive and screen the applicants. “And if it’s not what I want, I’ll reject it, plain and simple,” Jackson said.

Jackson added that he eventually plans to have a place to have shag lessons and shag dancing and a meeting area for local groups.

The board said Jackson would have to keep the maximum capacity of the building to 104 persons based on the site plan. The building, which is located in a highway commercial district, was formerly a car rental business.

The building is next to an adult bookstore, which the Rev. Frank Sossamon was quick to point out to the board while representing the West Hills/West Creek/158 Bypass Community Watch.

“We are just sort of confused and bewildered,” Sossamon said, labeling the proposed sports bar “an enemy of good” and calling for the adult bookstore to be closed and moved away.

“We are hoping to have a wholesome area,” Sossamon said. “We’re trying to keep it that way. When people come up 158 Bypass, the last thing we want them to see is what they see when they enter Henderson. And that’s a tavern and an adult bookstore. And that says a whole lot about us.”

Sossamon said the community he was speaking for is comprised of 95 households, a daycare center, an adult residential center and three churches.

Sossamon said that he did not have a petition but that, “We can certainly provide one,” additionally pointed out community members in the audience and additionally pointed out he could get more to come to another hearing.

“We didn’t know this was happening until, I think, 48 hours ago,” Sossamon said of Tuesday’s hearing.

City Planning Director Erris Dunston said the hearing was properly publicized.

Sossamon was followed by Francine Hall, who said she believed the sports bar could be a place for drug trafficking, for prostitutes to hang around and for underage drinkers.

“You might have more drunk drivers out on the road,” Hall added.

“It’s also going to be next to a Christian bookstore, just right up the road. You’re going to have the bowling alley, with kids, coming out at night. And kids don’t want to see people out there on the cars, out drunk,” Hall added.

And Hall expressed concern about patrons parking cars at a nearby automobile dealership and damaging vehicles.

“And it can bring out more gang-related problems and other types of violence. The parking lot can run out onto the street and cause accidents,” Hall added.

Jackson noted he is 58 years old and has been in Henderson since he was seven.

“And I think people that know me know that I do what I say I’m going to do, okay, in that I’m not going to have a place for drug members to come hang out or hoodlums or drunk drivers or any of this faction,” Jackson said.

“It’s not going to be a low-rent-district-type place,” Jackson said.

Under questioning from the board about whether he would have security, Jackson said he would probably start with some but emphasized his intention is not “to have that type of people around there anyway.”

And Jackson said he would call the police if he had an issue.

Board member Ruxton Bobbitt led the vote for the special use permit.

Supporting him were Board Chairwoman Arline Richardson and board members Thomas Badger, Richard Brand, Cathy Ringley and Marchita Vann.

Board member Duane Townes was absent.

Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch.com.