Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — July 18, 2025 — The Jonesboro City Council Tuesday approved an ordinance that could lead to a private club permit for SHJ Holdings’ The Den-Zone of Jonesboro, which would be located at the ASU Pavilion on the Arkansas State University campus.
During the public discussion of the ordinance, Jonesboro resident James Elwyn Hinds openly objected to the idea of another private club on the A-State campus, noting the large number of underage people that are located near this location who have no adult supervision. Hinds typically makes comments against issuing private club permits anytime permit ordinances are brought before the city council. Hinds was the only person to speak against issuing the permit to SHJ Holdings.
“If this thing passes, it will increase the amount of underage drinking in the City of Jonesboro,” Hinds said.
However, speaking on behalf of SHJ Holdings and The Den-Zone, Jason Willett and Den-Zone President Jerry Rapert, disagreed, stressing that it was a nonprofit private club created to support local A-State associated charities and that there would be no underage drinking permitted at the club.
“It’s a nonprofit private club that exists for the purpose of common recreational, social, community hospitality and benevolent purposes including, but not limited to, supporting 501(C)(3) entities and conducting charitable activities in and around Jonesboro,” Willet said. “The charities they’re looking at are very much supportive of Arkansas State University, whether it be the Red Wolf Foundation or whether it be the Arkansas State University System Foundation, they’ll support these and some other charities as it relates to helping out the community.”
Rapert said he has been in communication with A-State Chancellor, Dr. Todd Shields since August of last year.
“We had a vision of putting something there for the kids,” Rapert said. “In close proximity, where they could have a place to get good food, reasonably priced drinks, entertainment, and not have to venture off campus to do those things.”
“There will be no underage drinking allowed,” he stated. “We’ll have state-of-the-art ID scanners for that.”
The ordinance, which was on its third reading passed 11 to 1.
According to an Arkansas State University post on June 13, the newly remodeled facility will house multiple food and drink options for visitors, as well as updated entertainment and meeting spaces. Other improvements include ADA accessibility and other facility kitchen upgrades.
“A-State is making major improvements to the Pavilion this summer to enhance the student experience on campus,” the post read.
The post also noted that the A-State Pavilion was built in 1976 to replace the “Old Pavilion” across the pond, noting that a mural discovered while remodeling the bathroom facilities appeared to have a “78” painted on it, possibly hinting at a timeframe.