A black Kansas City businessman has been forced to scrap his plans to open a new nightclub after a local football fan club comprised mainly of liberal white women complained that the name was 'racist.' 

Casio McCombs said this week he was 'deeply disappointed' that his plans to open a club named Sundown HiFi were halted due to outcry from KC Blue Crew, a supporters club for women's soccer team KC Current. 

The 'sundown' name was deemed by the group to be a reference to a 'sundown town', a 19th Century term for all-white communities that would practice racial segregation and terrorize any black people unfortunate enough to find themselves on its streets after dark. 

The nightclub was set to be opened on a development site named Current Landing located next to the CPKC Stadium, leading the women's group to issue a statement arguing the 'sundown' name would tarnish the sports area. 

'In the year 2026, the history of America and its African American population is not unknown. The use of the name 'Sundown' for a dance club is not only racist, but incredibly insensitive to the history of the area in which this team resides,' the club said. 

'Missouri has had a particularly violent history of sundown towns so it is especially disturbing for a team located in Missouri to choose to name a night club establishment for people to gather at on its grounds, after dark, Sundown Lounge.' 

McCombs said the pressure from the group forced him to drop his plans to open the bar, saying his dream was 'reduced, misinterpreted and ultimately stripped away - largely by voices outside of the community it was meant to represent.' 

'What kind of creativity are we actually willing to support?' he questioned. 'And who do we allow to shape it?' 

McCombs said that his decision to use the 'Sundown' name was not an accident, and said he never intended it to be in support of the racist past of the area. 

'I am more than aware of the painful history connected to the phrase ‘sundown’ in certain contexts, particularly the phrase ‘sundown town,' he said in a statement of his own. 

'That history is real, and it matters. At the same time, I believe it is deeply unfortunate to allow that history to permanently taint language that describes one of the most universal human experiences imaginable,' he wrote. 

The businessman said that the intention of his name was to 'commemorate the universal gathering that happens around that time', hoping that people would see it as a reference to a sunset and not to racism in US history. 

'I strongly believe in the power of being able to rewrite narratives but we’ve heard you and understand that not everyone holds that belief.'

Without naming the women's group, McCombs added that he felt concerns raised about the name resulted in 'the stifling of a creative expression coming directly from someone within that very community.' 

'That is a difficult contradiction to sit with,' he said. 

In the KC Blue Crew statement calling for the development of the nightclub not to go forward, the group did not note that the SunDown HiFi club was being led by a black businessman. 

The group called for local leaders to 'take ownership of their mistake' in allowing the nightclub to almost open. 

'(They should) not only select a different name for the venue, but also publicly acknowledge what they will be doing as an organization to help bring to light the incredibly rich history and accomplishments of our city's African American population, instead of bringing attention to the city and state's racist history.' 

The supporters' club also said it was 'not lost on us' that the club announcement came as the KC Current team announced it would not be holding a Juneteenth themed celebration night this season. 

In an interview with KCTV5, McCombs said he rejected calls to change the name, saying that the 'name is still essential to the project.' 

'I didn’t want to water down the project and its intention. As a creative, you build with a sense of direction and emotion. It takes time to pivot on these things,' he said. 

'The name itself is very much to describe the sun going down,' said McCombs. 

'That part was very intentional. As the sun goes down, your senses are heightened. It wasn’t done with ill intent. I don’t think it was an oversight on my part. 

'The interesting reality of growing up in the south, it helped me figure out where power really lies as far as language goes. I wanted this to be an opportunity for other people to see the word sundown doesn’t have to control or push emotions. My hope was to tie it to the music. Reclamation is a huge thing.'

The Daily Mail has contacted McCombs and the KC Blue Crew for comment.