Arrington opened the sports bar and restaurant at the Capital Centre in January 2008, offering live comedy and musical performances, along with more than 30 flat-screen televisions. In June, only 18 months later, The Sideline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Documents filed with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Greenbelt showed no reason for Arrington's filing.

The Sideline has $136,900 in assets and more than $5.5 million in liabilities, according to its filing.

Of the more than two dozen creditors listed in court documents, nearly $18,000 is owed to Pepco and Washington Gas, but the Sideline's largest debt is $766,268, owed to Commercial Interiors, a construction contractor and construction manager in Marriottsville.

The attorney listed in court documents as representing Commercial Interiors, Michael Jack, said Wednesday he had no comment on behalf of the company.

Capital Centre, LLC, owner of The Boulevard at the Capital Centre, took legal action against The Sideline, saying the restaurant wasn't paying its rent and filing a motion demanding The Sideline surrender the premise in October.

Carl Levin, The Sideline's general manager, did not return calls by press time.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the restaurant's phone remained in service but calls were not answered.

Micheal Arrington, LaVar's father, answered the family's Upper Marlboro home phone Tuesday afternoon and said the family had no comment regarding the restaurant's closing.

Bennie Brooks, Arrington's lawyer based in Landover, did not return calls for comment by press time.

Bill Parks, regional vice president for property management for Inland US Management LLC, which manages the Boulevard, said Inland does not expect The Sideline's closing to significantly impact leasing efforts. There are now five vacancies at the center, which currently has 75 tenants.

"It's going to be an impact in that it is an additional vacancy, but the center is well poised with interstate access and community support," Parks said.

In April, Kenneth Baker, general manager for Inland, said the company was talking to major, national retailers about coming to the center. The Gazette was not able to reach Baker by press time.

On March 1 near The Sideline, a 35-year-old Bowie man died, and six others — ages 27 to 38 — were injured after a man fired several shots into a crowd outside the venue after an argument escalated.

At the time, Sideline management said no patrons or employees reported seeing any physical fighting inside the bar and that the fight took place 120 feet away from the front door.

E-mail Liz Skalski at eskalski@gazette.net.