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Westmont amends ordinance to allow alcohol at indoor sports arenas; conditions and future license approvals required
Summary
The village amended its liquor ordinance to create a class 25 license category to allow on-site alcohol sales at indoor sports arenas; staff said individual licenses would still require a separate application and mayoral approval and must meet conditions intended to protect minors and limit consumption to interior areas.
The Westmont Village Board approved an amendment to the municipal code to expand the description of the Class 25 liquor license to include indoor sports arenas, allowing such facilities to seek local authorization to sell alcohol to spectators and adult participants.
Deputy Liquor Commissioner Mulhern told the board the ordinance change mirrors an existing license category (the natatorium classification) and is intended to accommodate existing operators and future indoor sports venues; creation of the license class does not itself grant a license to any business. If an applicant seeks a license, the board would have the opportunity to increase the number of available Class 25 licenses for that applicant and the mayor, acting as local liquor commissioner, would make the final licensing decision.
During discussion, trustees and staff emphasized several conditions that would accompany any license: alcohol sales and consumption must be confined to a designated indoor area shown on a submitted floor plan; alcohol may not be sold while an on-site daycare is operational; licensees and servers are required to complete beverage service training (Bassett Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Training); occasional police compliance checks will be conducted; and the mayor may impose additional reasonable conditions on any license.
Deputy Liquor Commissioner Mulhern said the amendment would apply to any indoor sports arena entering the village, not solely to the current applicant, Westmont Yard. Mulhern noted Westmont Yard operates a similar facility in Naperville and that the proposed code language is intended to be future-facing. Board members asked whether alcohol would be sold during youth events; Mulhern said permitted alcohol sales would be limited to adult events or to spectator areas when the daycare is closed, and the ordinance includes a condition that no alcohol be sold while the daycare is open. Trustee Guzzo asked about outdoor consumption; staff said the ordinance requires alcohol to remain inside and that floor plans must show the permitted consumption areas.
Trustee Parker moved approval; Trustee Guzzo seconded. The board approved the ordinance on a roll call vote. Staff said the business (Westmont Yard) may apply for a license after the ordinance change; any application would return to the board for consideration to increase the number of available licenses before the mayor would issue a license.
