Racial slur written on Nouveau Tavern in River North

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Racist graffiti spray-painted on Nouveau Tavern in Chicago's River North neighborhood was removed by city crews.

The club manager saw the words Thursday morning as she arrived for work at the club in the 300 block of West Ontario. Nouveau Tavern has not been well-received by all of its neighbors.

"A little bit of me wants to be angry. But I'm more so hurt and disappointed that you could have that much hate in your heart to do something like this," Brittany Spears said.

As Spears arrived Friday morning, so did Chicago police. They were followed by the graffiti removers, who erased the racial slur. But the message, club operators said, has escalated a tension that began last year when the club opened.

In April, police paid a surprise visit to Nouveau Tavern on a busy Friday night and shut it down because, city officials said, its owner was not properly licensed. The club sued, and was allowed to continue operating.

There have been complaints from some neighbors: noise, rowdiness, litter.

"They said we see bottles, we see trash. OK, even though it's not ours, we'll clean it up cause we're trying to fit in. We're trying to be good neighbors. We'll go the extra mile to be here," Teddy Gilmore, Nouveau Tavern manager, said.

The club says it closes its windows after 8 p.m. to mitigate noise and directs patrons east at the exit to avoid the residences to the west.

Alderman Brendan Reilly's Campaign Office is immediately next door. But Gilmore said he has not been able to directly meet with Reilly.

"This is a community problem we're dealing with - serious issues of vandalism and destruction and violence, and it needs to be addressed head on," Gilmore said.

Gilmore said just a few days ago, some patrons' cars were egged.