The opening of Morgan Wallen's new Nashville bar, "This Bar," was delayed days after the city council rejected plans for a large floating sign featuring the country singer's name, citing past controversies.
Initially scheduled to open during Memorial Day weekend, TC Restaurant Group announced the postponement shortly before the launch.
"We're proud of our team who has worked tirelessly to prepare Morgan Wallen's This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen for opening. The ground-up construction of a six-story venue launching with hundreds of team members is a tremendous amount of work and a complex process," TC Restaurant Group said in a statement to The Hill on Sunday.
"When we open, we want This Bar to be an exceptional experience for guests. Unfortunately, the process requires more time, and we are not able to open and provide that experience this Memorial Day weekend," the statement continued. "Rest assured it will be well worth the wait. We look forward to welcoming guests soon."
Last week People reported that 30 council members voted against allowing the sign.
Councilwoman At Large Delishia Porterfield noted Wallen's past, saying that she did not want to see a billboard with the name of a person "who's throwing chairs off of balconies and who is saying racial slurs, using the n-word, so I'm voting no."
Wallen was arrested on felony charges for reportedly throwing a chair from a Nashville rooftop bar last month. In 2021, he drew widespread criticism after a video surfaced showing him using a racial slur.
Council member Jordan Huffman seconded Porterfield's concerns, stating that Wallen "gives all of us a bad name."
"His comments are hateful, his comments are harmful, and you don't belong in this town, as far as I'm concerned," Huffman added. "I'm tired of this city bending over to just make anybody happy that makes a comment that they want to. We continue to go down this road. I encourage my colleagues to vote against this."
In a statement to The Hill, a spokesperson for TC Restaurant Group said the delayed opening was not related to the city council's vote.
"This is not related to the Metro Council's denial of the aerial encroachment for the sign. TC Restaurant Group continues to work with Metro," the spokesperson said.
"They are working through all of the normal complexities of starting a new business. All parties involved are working together and they look forward to opening soon," the spokesperson added.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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