Published on
WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. — Westside Sports Bar & Lounge is advertising a Super Bowl watch party scheduled for Sunday, despite ongoing legal and regulatory questions surrounding the business, including a recently entered court default in a separate broadcast piracy case and unresolved issues reflected in public records.
Promotional materials posted publicly this week advertise a Super Bowl party at the business’s West Melbourne location, including food and drink specials and a halftime show event. The promotion comes as the business and its owner, Gary Kirby, remain defendants in legal matters involving alleged unauthorized commercial broadcasts and disputed business damages.
Court records show that a default has been entered against Westside Sports Bar & Lounge and Gary Kirby in a lawsuit brought by GG Closed-Circuit Events LLC, a distributor that licenses commercial broadcasts of pay-per-view sporting events.
The case alleges the unauthorized exhibition of a UFC event at the establishment. A clerk’s default was entered in January after the business failed to respond, clearing the way for a determination of damages. The default does not itself establish the amount owed, which is typically addressed at a later hearing, but it does constitute an admission of liability under Florida procedure.
After his attorney withdrew, Kirby proceeded pro se (representing himself) in a separate Brevard County case in which an investor sued him over unpaid startup loans. Following a bench trial, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and entered a judgment exceeding $99,000.
Unlike UFC or boxing events, the Super Bowl broadcast is not licensed through closed-circuit distributors. However, federal law still restricts commercial exhibition in certain circumstances, particularly where enhanced audio-visual presentations, promotions, or special events are involved. Kirby has used officially licensed NFL logos in promotions for Westside Sports Bar & Lounge, even as he has publicly criticized the NFL’s halftime show raising questions about promotional use of league trademarks for this weekend’s Super Bowl party.
At this time, it is not publicly clear whether Westside Sports Bar & Lounge has obtained any authorization or is operating under conditions that would require additional licensing for Sunday’s event. When asked directly whether the business had secured appropriate rights or permissions for the Super Bowl broadcast, Kirby declined to answer.
Most alarming however is separate public records raise additional questions regarding the business structure under which Westside Sports Bar & Lounge is operating or if it even legally exists.
Records from the Florida Division of Corporations show that Westside Sportsbar & Lounge, Inc. was administratively dissolved in 2024 and has not been reinstated. State licensing records further reflect that alcohol and food service licenses associated with the location are issued in the name of that dissolved entity. No active fictitious name registration listing Gary Kirby individually as the operating business owner appears in the state database as of publication. In fact, it doesn’t appear that according to Sunbiz records, there are any active businesses or DBA’s registered under Gary Kirby.
Municipal records from the City of West Melbourne show a business tax receipt associated with Westside Sports Bar & Lounge listed as expired, along with a subsequent application marked as pending that reflects outstanding balances and penalty assessments. Publicly available records do not indicate that the receipt has been fully issued or renewed.
When asked about these records, Kirby stated in an email that, “Everything is up to date, you want to continue to be a jack ass your going to find yourself sued, again.” After being provided with copies of the official municipal records and asked whether he had any documentation contradicting what those records reflect, Kirby did not respond. Those records are below. According to the City’s website “Tax Receipts marked as ‘pending’ are awaiting confirmation and cannot be paid at this time.”
Kirby was provided multiple opportunities to respond to detailed questions regarding business licensing, insurance coverage, tax compliance, and broadcast authorization. In response, he disputed the framing of the questions but did not provide documentation contradicting the information reflected in court filings and public records.
Florida law requires alcoholic beverage licenses to be held by an active legal entity, registered fictitious name (DBA), or individual. Records from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation show that the liquor licenses associated with Westside Sports Bar & Lounge are registered to Westside Sports Bar & Lounge, Inc., which state records indicate was administratively dissolved in 2024 for failure to file its annual report.
Two of the licenses list the name type as a DBA. However, public records reviewed by The Space Coast Rocket from the Florida Division of Corporations shows no active or historical fictitious name registrations for Westside Sports Bar & Lounge associated with Gary Kirby or the dissolved corporation.
Taken together, these unresolved discrepancies raise broader questions for members of the public and for employees working at the establishment. If the business entity reflected in state licensing records has been administratively dissolved, it is unclear under what legal structure the business is currently operating, including how alcohol sales are being lawfully conducted, how insurance coverage is maintained, how payroll and banking relationships are handled, and whether required inspections and regulatory approvals remain valid. Public records do not presently clarify how these operational requirements are being satisfied, and Kirby declined to provide documentation or explanation when asked.
State records reviewed by The Space Coast Rocket do not show an active workers’ compensation insurance policy associated with either Gary Kirby or Westside Sports Bar & Lounge. Florida law generally requires workers’ compensation coverage for businesses with four or more employees, including the owner, raising additional questions about compliance that were not addressed when Kirby was asked for comment.
As of publication, no documentation has been provided publicly or privately to clarify:
The Space Coast Rocket will continue to rely on verifiable public records and court filings and will update this story if additional documentation is provided.
