Grand Opening Of Morgan Wallen's 'This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen' Postponed

Morgan Wallen’s This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen was set to open over Memorial Weekend (25 and 26 May), but the grand opening was postponed at the last minute.

A new opening date for the restaurant and bar wasn’t announced, but Billboard confirmed the postponed launch after receiving a statement from the organisation that will eventually open the establishment with Wallen, TC Restaurant Group.

The statement from This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen indicated that the team is “proud” of the work that’s gone into the work of the country star’s new bar, but the “ground-up construction” of the six-storey celebrity bar – which has hired “hundreds of team members” has amounted to “a tremendous amount of work and a complex process.”

The statement continued, “When we open, we want This Bar to be an exceptional experience for guests. Unfortunately, the process requires more time, and we are not able to open and provide that experience this Memorial Day weekend. Rest assured, it will be well worth the wait.

“We look forward to welcoming guests soon.”

A source speaking to Billboard about the venue confirmed that the postponement has nothing to do with the Nashville City Council denying a 20-foot sign to be built and installed outside the establishment.

Last Tuesday (21 May), the Nashville City Council denied the plans and placement of a 20-foot sign advertising “Morgan Wallen's This Bar & Kitchen”, citing the singer’s alleged previous “harmful actions”.

Council member Delishia Porterfield – who argued against the sign being constructed outside Wallen’s new bar – referenced Wallen’s recent history of allegedly throwing a chair off a six-floor building and nearly injuring police officers, as well as his past use of alleged racial slurs.

“I don't want to see a billboard up with the name of a person who's throwing chairs off of balconies and who is saying racial slurs,” Porterfield said.

Last month, Wallen addressed the alleged chair-throwing incident at Eric Church’s bar, Chiefs, admitting that he wasn’t proud of his behaviour.

“I didn't feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks,” Wallen wrote on social media. “I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I'm not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility.”