Bracco's Reopens After Fight Following 50 Cent Show Closed Restaurant for Five Months

Bracco's Clam and Oyster Bar, located on Freeport's Nautical Mile, reopened this month after a fight following an impromptu show by rapper 50 Cent closed the establishment for five months.

The restaurant had been closed since mid-August, when the State Liquor Authority revoked its license following the altercation in which two police officers were injured. But the SLA lifted the ban at the end of December after Bracco's paid a $20,000 fine.

Lifting the suspension came with caveats: Bracco's is no longer allowed to have live music, dancing or DJs at its establishment -- things the SLA said Bracco's was never supposed to have in the first place.

"I don’t see that [five month] closure as punishment," said SLA Chairman Vincent Bradley. "I see that as you weren’t running the way we were led to believe you would be running, so I couldn’t let you run."

According to Bracco's at their hearing in December, the closure led to 50 people being out of work and cost the owners more than $1 million.

"This has been a major education," said Michael Bracco, one of the two owners of the restaurant. "And you have my word this will never happen down on the Nautical Mile ever again."

The trouble started for Bracco's on Aug. 6, when 50 Cent put on an impromptu concert at the restaurant. The rapper was scheduled to be there to promote his vodka, and Bracco's ensured the Freeport Police Department that 50 Cent would not be performing.

Upon arriving, 50 Cent performed for 45 minutes, drawing a crowd estimated at 500 patrons, dangerously crammed in the outdoor area of the restaurant with a maximum capacity of 200, while hundreds of additional people packed the sidewalk directly outside the bar.

A fight broke out on the Nautical Mile following the performance, and included the destruction of property at Bracco’s and neighboring businesses, fistfights in the streets, the arrest of three people and injury to two officers as patrons from the VIP area of Bracco’s hurled glass bottles and other debris at officers while bouncers from the bar idly watched. The disorder and large crowd shut down traffic on Woodcleft Avenue, and Freeport Police required the assistance of the Nassau County Police Department to quell the violence and disorder.

"I know they probably didn’t know 50 Cent was going to sing, but they did nothing to stop it," said Bradley. "He got up there, and the response was, 'What was I supposed to do?'"

The SLA reported that it had fined Bracco's for previous viloations in 2015 and 2016. And prior to the closure, Freeport Police also reported an unauthorized concert and performance on July 16, where lewd and indecent behavior, nudity and irresponsible alcohol consumption was recorded on video. From May 1, 2015 to the closure in August, police responded to 97 calls at Bracco’s leading to six arrests, in addition to 20 additional calls for loud and excessive noise.

Bracco's owners indicated at their hearing that they would apply for the correct licenses to allow live music and dancing at their venue, and Bradley said they would be allowed to do so.

"I realize Bracco’s had nothing to do with the police situation out in the street," said Bradley. "But they did heighten the situation. It was their customers.They were well beyond their hours of operation. That event happened at 1, and they’re supposed to be shut at 12."

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