Suburban Montreal Party Hub Beachclub Might Be About to Lose Its Alcohol License

The future of suburban mega-club Beachclub is currently up in the air, as the venue has been hauled before Quebec’s alcohol licensing board to respond to a litany of complaints.

The Gazette has been tracking Beachclub’s hearing at the Régie des alcools, des courses, et des jeux, which has been ongoing since last week.

The Régie is asking for the club’s owners — Dominique Primeau and sons Olivier and Justin Primeau — to address the issues, which include noise complaints against the Pointe-Calumet venue, alleged drug dealing at Beachclub, overly intoxicated patrons, and one accidental death on its premises. The hearings were prompted by complaints from the nearby Deux Montagnes police departments, which is concerned that the club is straining the resources of emergency services in the area.

Beachclub has a capacity of about 10,000 people; it only opens in the summer months and regularly hosts large parties (it also drew international attention for playing host to miscellaneous celebrity Kylie Jenner’s 18th birthday in 2015).

The problems raised at the Régie date back to at least 2015, when an intoxicated 21-year-old drowned in a swimming area at the club (police said that the venue took about 30 minutes to initiate a search for the man, whose death was ruled accidental). That’s not the only death affiliated with the venue — in 2017, a patron who had left the club killed a pedestrian in Pointe-Calumet in a hit and run.

The Régie also heard reports that a number of other patrons at the club have required medical treatment due to drug use or excessive drinking — ambulances have been required for incidents like a man who had consumed 60 ounces of hard liquor, or another man who was stabbed with a syringe during a fight on the dance floor.

Also of concern to police is the presence of biker gang members at Beachclub — while gang paraphernalia is banned at the club, police told the Régie about a number of times that bikers (including Hells Angels members) had been present at the club, sometimes with patches or other gang symbols.

However, the owners noted that anyone who enters the club is frisked by security guards for weapons, and also said that given the sheer size of the venue, it’s difficult to keep them away.

The hearings are set to conclude today (Monday), with a verdict to follow. However, Beachclub appears to be planning to continue operations — it’s hiring for its 2020 summer season right now.

• Beachclub Pointe-Calumet fighting to keep its alcohol licence [Montreal Gazette]
• Beachclub says it’s powerless to keep bikers out [Montreal Gazette]
• Pedestrian killed in police chase from Pointe-Calumet Beachclub [CJAD]