Midland City Council Removes Peace Officer Requirement for Hot Shots Bar

Bar owner Dave Chin overcomes challenges to renew alcohol license after city oversight lapse

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Midland City Council has officially ratified the removal of the peace officers requirement at the Hot Shots bar, ending its long saga in getting approval of a specific-use designation (SUD) to sell alcohol. Hot Shots' SUD had expired in 2005, but the city failed to notify the bar owner, Dave Chin, leading to a 43-day shutdown and financial hardship. After going through the SUD renewal process, the city initially required Hot Shots to have peace officers on-site due to incident reports of violence and illegal activity. However, after reviewing the data, the council determined the requirement was an overreaction and unanimously voted to remove it, allowing Hot Shots to return to using its own security measures.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges small business owners can face when navigating complex city regulations, as well as the need for consistent and fair enforcement of alcohol licensing requirements across Midland's bars and restaurants. It also raises questions about the reliability of incident reporting and the appropriate balance between public safety concerns and supporting local businesses.

The details

Hot Shots' neighbor, BTA Oil Producers, had filed complaints about parking issues and alleged criminal activity associated with the bar. This led the city to initially require Hot Shots to have peace officers on-site, despite the bar already having its own security measures. However, data provided by Hot Shots' attorney showed the bar had fewer incident reports than other establishments in the area. After reviewing the evidence, the city council determined the peace officer requirement was an overreaction and voted unanimously to remove it, allowing Hot Shots to return to using its own security.

  • Hot Shots' SUD expired in 2005, but the city failed to notify the bar owner.
  • Hot Shots went through the SUD renewal process starting in April 2025, with the SUD officially approved on June 10.
  • In August 2025, the city conducted an initial review of the peace officer requirement after two months.
  • In January 2026, the city council reviewed all the data and concluded Hot Shots no longer needed peace officers.
  • Hot Shots' new SUD will expire on June 10, 2027.

The players

Hot Shots

A bar in Midland, Texas that was required to have peace officers on-site due to incident reports, but successfully appealed the requirement.

Dave Chin

The owner of Hot Shots bar, who had to shut down his business for 43 days due to the city's failure to notify him of the SUD expiration, and later fought the peace officer requirement.

BTA Oil Producers

A neighboring business to Hot Shots that filed complaints about parking issues and alleged criminal activity associated with the bar.

Midland City Council

The local government body that initially required Hot Shots to have peace officers, but later unanimously voted to remove the requirement after reviewing the data.

Patrick H. Cordero, Jr.

The attorney who represented Hot Shots owner Dave Chin in navigating the SUD renewal process and fighting the peace officer requirement.

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What they’re saying

“It made me ill — like, really ill — to watch a woman just get beat.”

— Councilwoman Amy Stretcher Burkes (mrt.com)

“When I listen to all of this, I hear consistency (and) increased enforcement. I think that those are things that benefit the entire community of Midland and help us to keep things fair and equitable.”

— Mayor Lori Blong (mrt.com)

“I think BTA could do something about towing cars that do go there. I think it'd only take one or two towings and people would stop, because the word would get out that you're not supposed to park there and it would travel like wildfire. I think that would go a long way in alleviating the issues.”

— Patrick H. Cordero, Jr., Hot Shots' attorney (mrt.com)

What’s next

Hot Shots' new SUD will expire on June 10, 2027, at which point the bar will need to go through the renewal process again.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of clear communication and consistent enforcement of alcohol licensing requirements for businesses in Midland. It also demonstrates the challenges small business owners can face when navigating complex city regulations, and the need for a balanced approach that addresses public safety concerns while also supporting local establishments.