Owner of several St. Pete bars sues state over mask order
February 4, 2021 - Knight Global Entertainment — the parent company of several downtown St. Petersburg bars and entertainment venues, including Jannus Live, Ringside Cafe, Pelican Pub and MacDinton’s Irish Pub — has filed a lawsuit against the state of Florida, alleging that a mask order issued by St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is not enforceable by local courts. Knight Global Entertainment, whose president is Largo resident Jeffry Knight, claims it has been cited 16 times by the City of St. Petersburg for violating the order, and that city officials have threatened to revoke the extended-hours permit that allows it to operate its venues after midnight. Such an action, the company claims, would effectively put it out of business.