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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The renewal of the Ali Baba Lounge&#8217;s liquor license is in doubt.</p><p>&#8220;It is alleged that you have abused your licensing privilege,&#8221; states a recent letter from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to license holder Nabil Abualburak Inc. If the nightclub&#8217;s license is not renewed, it could no longer legally sell alcoholic beverages.</p><p>The PLCB intends to hold a hearing on the allegations and license renewal at a yet-to-be-determined date.</p><p>Ali Baba has had its share of notoriety for what&#8217;s happened inside and outside. It&#8217;s presented shows even though the city said the club was not zoned as an entertainment venue. And police have responded to reports of gunshots in the vicinity of the 219-225 S. Main St. club as recently as Sept. 1.</p><p>No injuries were reported in the most recent police response. However, a Brooklyn, N.Y., man died from a gunshot wound to the head while driving away after a fight broke out outside the bar July 19. The death of 26-year-old Collin Jones was ruled a homicide. No arrests have been made in the fatal shooting.</p><p>Ali Abualburak, the manager of the club, previously said Ali Baba has wrongly been labeled a trouble spot. Abualburak referred questions about the license renewal to attorney Frank Hoegen, who did not return a call for comment Wednesday.</p><p>The PLCB alleged there have been 26 &#8220;incidents of disturbances&#8221; from September 2016 to Aug. 10, the date of the letter, that include &#8220;disorderly operations, visibly intoxicated patrons, fights, assault, public drunkenness, drugs, and after hours.&#8221;</p><p>The letter also said corporation officers Nabil M. Abualburak, Manal Saleem Daghlas and Samer N. Abualburak are considered persons of &#8220;ill repute&#8221; or &#8220;not a responsible person of good repute&#8221; because of the alleged liquor-code violations.</p><p>The liquor license for Nabil Abualburak Inc., doing business as the Omnia Bar &amp; Grill and Ali Baba Lounge, has expired. The state granted temporary authority to operate starting Sept. 1.</p><p><strong>Entertainment issue</strong></p><p>Wilkes-Barre city Administrator Ted Wampole said he has not seen the PLCB letter. &#8220;Once we get the letter and review it, we&#8217;ll examine the options available to us,&#8221; Wampole said.</p><p>The city has received a letter from attorney Mark McNealis who represents Ali Baba in the zoning issue, Wampole said. That&#8217;s being reviewed, he noted.</p><p>McNealis said Tuesday that Ali Baba has been offering entertainment for years before the zoning issue came up in July.</p><p>Based on his review of the city&#8217;s zoning ordinance, McNealis said, &#8220;There&#8217;s really nothing we need to apply for.&#8221;</p><p>Wilkes-Barre Zoning Officer Bill Harris said he disagreed.</p><p>He can issue a citation to Ali Baba and it can either comply or appeal it to the city&#8217;s Zoning Hearing Board.</p><p>When the issue arose in July, Harris allowed Ali Baba to continue hosting live entertainment pending the filing of an application with the Zoning Hearing Board.</p><p>There was no agenda item relating to Ali Baba at the board&#8217;s Aug. 22 public meeting. And nothing for Ali Baba is on the agenda for the Sept. 19 session.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Ali Baba Lounge is seen on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. The club&#8217;s liquor license is being reviewed by the state&#8217;s Liquor Control Board. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL072918AliBaba2-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Ali Baba Lounge is seen on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. The club&#8217;s liquor license is being reviewed by the state&#8217;s Liquor Control Board. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Ali Baba Lounge’s license under PLCB scrutiny, renewal uncertain