03-11-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MARCH 11, 2015 McGraw noted previous discussion of the City holding an available liquor license for a hotel with a restaurant. The Clerk noted that that was the case a few years ago, but State Statute has been changed allowing the City an unlimited number of On -Sale Restaurant Liquor Licenses. With regard to creating a third class of liquor license, the City Administrator noted that the event center does not currently meet the standards of the City's On -Sale Restaurant Liquor License. The Administrator indicated that if the City issued an On -Sale Liquor License and the event center was not successful, there would be nothing to prohibit the license holder from simply operating a bar at the same location. Therefore, staff felt a separate license category for this business with a separate set of conditions should be created if the Council was inclined to grant the business a liquor license. McGraw agreed that once condition should be that food service is required in order to qualify for this liquor license. He also felt that the liquor license should be tied to the event center and that this should not be a bar business. John Sonnack, JJ's Hospitality, reported that he and his partners Chen Chen and Jorge Flores, would like to open an event center in the current location of Eventi Bella in the Market Place Shopping Center. Their business plan includes providing their own food and liquor service as part of an event. Sonnack reported that the success of Eventi Bella has been limited in that they had to contract with a caterer for food and beverage services. Sonnack noted that under JJ's Hospitality's business plan, they would be a full service event center, hosting weddings, quiceaneras, banquets, and special events. McGraw asked the partners backgrounds, which Sonnack provided. Keis asked about parking. Tim McGlaughlin, Market Place Shopping Center, noted that most events would take place during the evening hours when the most of the shopping center businesses are closed. He noted that the center has a great deal of parking, including parking behind the building. Keis pointed out that the bingo hall and Little Venetian are opened during the evening hours. McGlaughlin felt that even with these evening uses, there would be adequate on-site parking. McGraw asked if the parking on the north side of the building was striped. McGlaughlin did not know. McGraw asked if Sonnack would be agreeable to having his patrons utilize the parking on the north side of the building first, before utilizing other on-site parking. Sonnack indicated that that was agreeable. Keis pointed out that bingo hall patrons also use the parking on the north side of 6