The joint owners of Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse, Kid Rock and Steve Smith, are refusing to follow Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s plan to shut down all bars in the city’s Lower Broadway unless they hear from the Governor of Tennessee.
It was reported that the Metro Board of Health approved a plan to shut down all bars in Davidson County, including the honky-tonks in downtown Nashville after videos surfaces of packed establishments.
The Tennessee Department of Health reported 39 cases of coronavirus in the state, with 17 in Davidson County. That number is expected to rise according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Cooper’s decree was made after a video on Twitter showed thousands of people out enjoying the bars on Lower Broadway Saturday night, after people had already been advised to self-quarantine due to the coronavirus.
Downtown Nashville is undefeated. pic.twitter.com/BFIOzukFct
— Janna Abraham (@SportsPundette) March 15, 2020
What bar does Kid Rock own?
In Nashville, Kid Rock owns the Big Ass Honky Tonk & Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse.
Located on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Broadway, this establishment is described as Nashville’s “biggest and baddest new honky-tonk, five floors, four stages, and six bars.”
According to the website, the restaurant and bar “can accommodate almost two thousand people.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Sunday that there must be an end to any gatherings with 50 people or more for two months — including weddings, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, or conferences.
What is being reported?
TMZ got the scoop first, reporting Kid Rock’s Nashville honky-tonk is staying open and got a statement from Rock’s partner Steve Smith — who co-owns the bar and who gave them a blistering statement regarding Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s directive for bars to close up, and restaurants cut their capacity in half.
FOX Nashville affiliate reported that the Nashville bars and restaurants are flying in the face of the mayor’s orders.
JUST IN: Several bars on Lower Broadway, including popular Tootsies, Honky Tonk Central, Kid Rock’s bar, will remain OPEN after Nashville mayor asked them to close over #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/LfGJ1ZfzoU
— FoxNashville (@FOXNashville) March 15, 2020
“We appreciate the efforts of Mayor Cooper to combat the COVID-19 virus, but unless there’s a statewide mandate that directs all bars and restaurants to be closed, the request made by Mayor Cooper is unconstitutional as he is targeting a select group of businesses.”
Defiant, Smith said, “the diner would remain open until a statewide mandate is issued by the Governor.”