San Antonio denies Bonham Exchange request for six-month fire sprinkler extension

SAN ANTONIO – The historic Bonham Exchange nightclub in downtown San Antonio is temporarily closed after city leaders denied the owners’ request for a six-month extension to meet fire sprinkler requirements.

City leaders said the closure is about protecting customers. In February, the city gave several nightclubs six more months to bring their fire suppression systems into compliance with current safety codes. The deadline was Saturday at midnight, a timeline that caught some longtime customers off guard.

“I’m honestly devastated because I wanted to go check it out. I heard so many things from my roommate Stephy. She loves the place. She wanted to show it to me. Ive been waiting for my chance,” Autumn Price said.

Stephanie, who said she wanted to bring a friend to Bonham for the first time, said she did not realize the closure was happening so soon.

“I didn’t realize that was tonight. The fact that it is closing tonight, I’m really upset because I wanted to bring my friend to go experience Bonham for the first time because she hasn’t been able to be out,” Stephanie said.

According to a city memo, officials said closing venues during construction would allow the required fire protection work to be completed more quickly, rather than doing the work in stages while businesses remain open.

The city said it will work with Bonham’s owners to expedite permits, inspections and reviews so the nightclub can reopen as soon as it passes fire safety inspections. Bonham expects construction to take approximately four to five months, with plans to reopen later this year.

Questions remain about the timeline and process, including why Bonham did not apply for permits sooner, whether owners sought financial help soon enough, when installation of the required sprinklers will begin, and whether the city will expedite inspections needed to complete the process faster than usual.

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