Wilson's Sports Lounge Has Closed After 50 Years Of St. Pete Memories

ST. PETE, FL — The 50-year-old bar Wilson's Sports Lounge — known both for its cheap drinks and as the exterior of the club in the movie “Magic Mike” — has permanently closed.

The Wilson's Sports Lounge sign looming over the seafoam green, semicircular building at 3030 Fourth St. N. in St. Pete reads, "End Of A Era. Thanks For Many Years Of Patronage. Will Miss You."

Wilson's opened in 1972 by John Wilson.

The bar closed at the beginning of the pandemic and reopened July 4, 2021.

The pool-playing, dart-shooting and cheap drinking venue was hurt by the pandemic and when the former owner, John Turaniczo, was sued by the current owner, Belleair Development Group, on Feb. 16, according to Florida Politics.

Turaniczo sold the property to the development group for $1.2 million in October. In the agreement, Turaniczo was required to obtain $1 million in liquor liability coverage because of fights at the business, the outlet said.

According to the Times, Turaniczo obtained $1 million in general liability coverage in November with $300,000 per occurrence in liquor liability and assault and battery coverage. But the policy was canceled by the insurance carrier in January due to code violations, the newspaper reported.

A court order on Feb. 16 required Turaniczo to obtain sufficient insurance coverage within 30 days or risk being evicted, the Times reported. He was found to be in default of the lease.

Turaniczo's lawyer said in a motion filed to dismiss the default on April 5 that his client had suffered a serious stroke and has had lingering problems such as memory loss.

A hearing for the motion was canceled after additional code violations were found on a damaged wall by code enforcement.

Plans for the property have not been disclosed.