Tampa City Council on Thursday approved on first reading four special-use permits to allow small-venue alcoholic beverage sales at properties tied to the JC Newman Cigar Company and related parcels in Ybor City.

The four ordinances, each presented separately, passed unanimously on roll-call votes with one councilmember absent; second readings and final adoption are scheduled for 10 a.m. June 26, 2025, at Old City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd.

What the council approved
- 1601 E. Columbus Drive (Parcel 3): Alcohol sales for indoor and outdoor areas totaling 20,717 square feet; outdoor amplified sound limited per the site plan. First-reading approval passed; revision sheet added to record.
- 2701 N. 16th St. (Parcel 2, the historic cigar factory): Alcohol consumption on premises in about 8,025 square feet of indoor area; one waiver to reduce required parking was included and supported by staff despite transportation comments.
- 1530 E. Columbus Drive (Parcel 1, Cigar Workers Park): Outdoor-only alcohol area of about 8,400 square feet; the proposal included a waiver to reduce parking and proposed outdoor operations to end at 10 p.m.
- 1509 E. Columbus Drive (Parcel 4): A tobacco-barn and garden concept with a total alcohol-sale area of 8,537 square feet (2,843 indoors, 5,694 outdoors); applicant requested a parking waiver for the site.

Applicant pitch and neighborhood outreach
Drew Newman, the company's fourth-generation owner, described JC Newman as a longstanding Tampa family business "a hundred and 30 years, 2 weeks and 4 days old" that has opened its historic El Relo factory and created a museum and event venue on the campus. He said the company wants to expand hospitality amenities, restore the neighboring Sanchezy Hyatt building as a hotel and restaurant, and add museum and event uses tied to the cigar industry.

Tyler Hudson, the applicant's attorney, said the applications were split across four parcels for practical reasons and that an off-site parking lot owned by the same owner will be dedicated to the venue when it is open; the site plan will bind that arrangement and require council approval for substantial deviations.

Chaz Brock of 3 Oaks Hospitality, the proposed operator for one venue, described the concept as a "speakeasy" supper-club model and said the patio would be carefully screened with landscaping and would not host live bands or DJs. Brock said his firms employ hundreds of local workers and operate established concepts across the region.

Council and public comments
Council members praised the restoration work and the potential for Ybor City to attract visitors who would stay overnight. Several residents asked for restrictions on outdoor amplified sound and for limits on late-night outdoor activity. After public comment, the council explicitly approved conditions on the site plans and included the applicant's agreed limits: outdoor amplified sound would end at 10 p.m. at the site that included that restriction, and other sites proposed either 10 p.m. outdoor sound limits or standard chapter-14 hours for indoor sales.

Next steps
Each ordinance was passed on first reading with a second-reading and final adoption scheduled for 10 a.m. June 26 at Old City Hall. Staff noted minor site-plan modifications are required between first and second reading and that waivers of parking requirements were approved or supported by staff and transportation, with some conditions.