The Department of Justice has filed a discrimination lawsuit against 360 Midtown, formerly known as The Gaslamp, after receiving numerous complaints from minorities.
According to the lawsuit, blacks, Latinos and Asian-American patrons were made to pay a $20 cover fee when whites were permitted to enter for free.
The lawsuit comes one year after a group of local black attorneys alleged that they had been discriminated against.
They also filed a lawsuit against the club’s owners.
Attorneys Dasean Jones and Ike Okorafor represent two of the plaintiffs and say that a lot of people have complained about the nightclub.
"There have been hundreds of people who've gotten together on social media and spoken out about it,” Jones said. “There have been other people to come forward afterwards."
Both attorneys applauded the action by the justice department.
"I believe it's a slight vindication that an independent third party came in and saw the same things that we saw,” Okorafor said.
No one from the nightclub returned calls to KHOU. In the past, a spokesperson strongly denied any allegations of discrimination.
But the Justice Department believes the club's cover charge was based on skin color alone, and Okorafor hopes the lawsuits send a powerful message.
"It's not about the money,” Okorafor said. “It's about justice and allowing all minorities to enjoy Houston as one."
Attorney Tim Sutherland, who represents Gaslamp, released the following statement:
"There is no cover charge based on skin color. The Title 2 Civil Rights Act claim filed today is the same claim that was dismissed in the Ball discrimination case. We rejected the DOJ's settlement offer and look forward to prevailing on this claim in court, once again."