Kenny's Key West

Nope, not a tale about some guy called Kenny. A tale of a truly low-life bar in Jefferson Parish New Orleans. Boy oh boy it sounds like it was modeled on the Key West of 75 years ago. It is in actuality a nightclub, with a very expensive sound system and all the other goodies required by decent to good dj's these days. The clientele however, leave much to be desired.

Here's a little history.

A Metairie bar a little more than a block from Lakeside Shopping Center exploded with gunfire early Sunday, leaving five patrons injured -- two critically, including a 17-year-old Harvey girl.

The shootings might be the worst violence linked to Kenny's Key West since Ivory Joe Guy, 20, of Westwego died May 2005 of multiple gunshot wounds in the hallway of the nightclub at 3012 N. Arnoult Road. In February 2004, Steven Stanford, 23, was shot dead across the street from the nightclub after an altercation.

Unlike black-owned establishments in the city, Kenny's Key West is white owned. It also has three video poker machines, which means the place puts $2000-$4000 cash into the pockets of the owners each week. That sort of revenue stream is hard to ignore, and also gives bar owners a lot of money to make political contributions.

This bar remains open despite its sordid past possibly because it provides a gathering point for lowlife. Without it, the folks who patronize Key West might scatter to other locations, shooting those up instead. I hesitate to adopt a "blame the victim" position on these shootings, but when you go to a bar that's had two fatal shootings on the premises in as many years, you do so at greater risk to your person than a more sedate establishment.

A top Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office official described Kenny's Key West as the top trouble spot in the parish among clubs and lounges.

Deputy Chief Tom Gorman, head of the Sheriff's Office Investigations Bureau, made the comment at a press conference called by Sheriff Harry Lee to discuss the early morning shooting outside the club in which two people were injured and 50 shots were fired.

And the latest buzz about this funky little death dive..

Sheriff calls bar in Fat City 'hellhole'
Bid to yank license unfair, owner says
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
By Michelle Hunter

Jefferson Parish officials are poised to drop the hammer on Kenny's Key West and other businesses with a history of attracting unruly patrons. But Kenneth Vincent, owner of the Fat City nightclub that authorities call "a hellhole," said their proposal to strip liquor licenses is unfair to business owners.

"How do you hold them responsible for what other people do?" Vincent said Tuesday, two days after more than 50 gunshots were fired outside Kenny's Key West.

Two people were wounded in the frenzy: a security guard who was shot by an off-duty deputy sheriff, and a 21-year-old Marrero man who was shot in the foot while standing in line to enter the club.

For the full story The Times-Picayune