Council approves alcohol licenses for Embassy Suites, MX Bar & Grill and special-event permits

The Tuscaloosa City Council approved multiple alcohol license applications during its meeting, including an ABC special retail more-than-30-days license for Crestline Hotels and Resorts LLC, d/b/a Embassy Suites (application 25-048), a restaurant retail liquor license for MX Bar & Grill (application 25-049), and special-event or short-term special retail licenses for Downtown Social LLC (application 25-051) and a University-related Halloween event.

Officer Champion of the Tuscaloosa Police Department reported to the council that the department had no objections to the applicants. James Pittman, an attorney representing Crestline Hotels, told the council the company had acquired the existing hotel and that he was unaware of any ABC citations or infractions related to the property. “They’re very responsible, good operator,” Pittman said.

City staff explained that a special retail license of more than 30 days is typical for hotels because it covers multiple on-site operations such as a market or pantry area adjacent to the check-in desk, which can include alcoholic sales outside a conventional restaurant context. The MX Bar & Grill application included proposed hours: closed Sundays; Monday–Wednesday 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Thursday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Applicants for the short-term downtown event permits — including Taylor Wright and Bill Wright for a Halloween event and representatives for other downtown social events — explained security and insurance arrangements. For university-related events, the applicants said they submit a permissive-use process to the University of Alabama, carry insurance listing the university as an additional insured, and obtain ABC approval as part of the process.

All items were approved by the council in the public-hearing sequence. No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearing.