ANN ARBOR, MI- A closed Ann Arbor bar called The Arena will get new life under new management.

The Arena gained notoriety under former owner Brian M. "Mike" Flore when it was featured in an episode of SPIKE TV's "Bar Rescue" that aired in November 2015.

"Bar Rescue" host Jon Taffer could not help Flore with his financial woes related to multiple charges of failure to pay taxes, and Flore was sentenced to five years in prison in July.

The Arena's doors were locked the day after, leaving patrons with no opportunity to say good-bye.

Mark Adams and Jeff LeDuc, operating partners of Tavern Project Michigan, received the keys in October to the property at 201 and 203 Washington St. and are cleaning and preparing the place to open by the end of 2016 as The Curtain Call.

Both men grew up in and around Ann Arbor and said they are excited to put their own spin on the new venture. They've been in and around the bar industry for years, and have been searching for the past 18 months for a place to land, Adams said.

"This opportunity fell into our laps at the right moment," Adams said. "We asked the right questions at the right time."

Adams and LeDuc secured the 3,750-square-foot space and are currently leasing it from Douglas Capital Partners, which closed on the property last week. Due to the abrupt closure, the new management had to make some quick cleaning plans to address certain issues.

"There was still food on the grill when we walked in," Adams said.

Kegs need to be returned, the draft lines cleaned and the kitchen is in need of a deep clean. Adams and LeDuc also are in the process of transferring the liquor license before looking to hire employees.

"There's lots to do, to say the least," LeDuc said.

The work hasn't gone unnoticed. People were looking in windows to see what was happening at The Arena, and some tried to stop by for one last pint or check out the place featured on "Bar Rescue."

"For us, we're not going to dwell on what happened here. We're going to focus on the now," Adams said.

The now means opening as The Curtain Call, a temporary name for a changing location. The bar side will remain open and the dining side will close to undergo the first round of planned renovations.

The remaining renovations are planned for summer 2017, but patrons could see some small changes in the decor via a fresh coat of paint and some added seating. The rest will be, in part, up to them.

"We legitimately want feedback from people, what's worked and what hasn't," Adams said. "We want to be the local hang, and we want people to have a say."

The Curtain Call would remain open through May, close for about three months during the summer for renovations, and reopen with a new moniker and a fresh start.

"It'll look very different than what it looks like now," Adams said. "It will be a clean look, with communal tables and private dining."