After almost three years, Big Shots and Chasers, 2522 Chamberlain St., quietly closed their doors Aug. 26 after contract discrepancies with their landlord ended in the bars not renewing their lease.

The closing was kept quiet because of a last-minute notice saying the results of a lawsuit would not be in Big Shots’ favor, says Zuko Miller, the bar’s manager.

“We found out Thursday morning that we had to be out by Friday,” Miller says.

Miller says the conflict began in July when it came time to set up the renewal of their contract.

“Our landlord was out of state frequently. There was a local individual that worked for him whom we had discussed it with,” says Scott Davis, owner of Big Shots. “We thought things were OK with the renewal of our contract, but they weren’t. It came down to a big fish, small fish situation.”

A verbal agreement had been made several times with his landlord, Bud Corieri, about the extended three-year contract, Davis says. A meeting was requested to sign the lease — but the meeting never took place, and in court it came down to Big Shots needing the agreement from Corieri in writing 90 days prior to the old contract’s expiration date of July 31.

Corieri said he had no comment.

“We had went ahead and remodeled and put a substantial amount of work and money into the future of the building,” Davis says.

Davis says management wouldn’t have put time and money into the bar if they had known they wouldn’t be there in the future.

“A contract discrepancy allowed them to force us out and we lost a lawsuit over the future lease of Big Shots to the father-in-law of the owner of Sips, Paddy’s, Lost and Found and Cy’s Roost,” he says.

Miller and Davis say the sudden change of plans led them to believe that some other factor was involved in the refusal of a renewed contract.

“We feel that there is definitely a game plan on their side,” Davis says. “I think there is definitely a direct correlation with us getting thrown out and our increased popularity. In my opinion, if we were hurting his family’s business, it would be a good reason for him to get us out now.”

Miller and Davis are looking into possible alternatives relating to the future of the bar.

“We had something in the works while we were fighting for the bar,” Miller says. “We found a new venue in Campustown.”

Miller says the new bar will open during the fall semester.

“We definitely want to open a dance bar that is different from any other Ames environment,” Davis says. Miller and Davis are busy working opening the new bar, but it does not mean they do not miss Big Shots and Chasers. On the last night they were open, a small tribute was given.