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Entrepreneur pitches Rec House game bar; PHS&T committee hears request tied to downtown on-site liquor license
Summary
A business owner seeking a downtown 'activity and game bar' called Rec House described an upstairs location at 100 South River Street, a draft wall self-serve model and a schedule of leagues and events. The Public Health, Safety & Transportation committee heard the concept; no final licensing vote was recorded in the excerpt.
A prospective downtown entertainment business called Rec House presented a plan on Feb. 4 to convert an upstairs space at 100 South River Street into an activity and game bar featuring bocce/putter lanes, shuffleboard, pinball, darts, a self-service draft wall and an event schedule of leagues and tournaments.
At the Public Health, Safety & Transportation committee report, the chair summarized the committee’s review of a proposed change in the cap on Class D downtown fringe on-site consumption liquor licenses related to an application by Rec House LLC. The business’ representative — identified in the record as “Mr. Gillie” — described a second-floor space above Society 57 coffee and event space, a planned new elevator to access the second floor, and a layout that would include seven rentable game lanes, a 32-seat centrally located bar and family-friendly hours with an age limit of 21 after 9 p.m.
Why it matters: The proposal would add a late-evening entertainment destination in walking distance of theaters and restaurants on the riverfront. The applicant emphasized partnerships with nearby restaurants and the use of QR codes to order local food delivery for patrons; staff and aldermen discussed operational details such as the elevator, accessibility, parking and whether the site qualifies for historic tax credit incentives.
What the applicant described The presenter said Rec House intends to focus on games with league potential (shuffleboard, darts, pinball, pool, skee-ball and table games) and to host tournaments and weekday league nights to draw steady off-peak traffic downtown. The business plans a 24-handle draft wall with local craft beer and cider, a wristband- or RFID-based self-pour system with default safety limits, and nonperishable, prepackaged snack offerings rather than an in-house kitchen. The presenter said the current target opening is June 1, 2025, subject to construction and permitting timelines.
Council and committee discussion Aldermen raised operational questions about Monday hours, the elevator installation, whether the site could qualify for historic tax credits, and adjacent parking. City staff indicated the elevator design and permitting details were being finalized and said planning would provide a more detailed schedule. Committee members expressed support for a downtown entertainment option and voted the committee-level items forward (no final council licensing vote appears in the provided excerpt).
Quotes • “It will be a vibrant upscale activity and game bar,” the presenter (identified in the record as Mr. Gillie) said. • “We will be family friendly; however, Rec House will require patrons to be 21 after 9 p.m.,” the presenter said when describing hours and age policy.
Ending The Public Health, Safety & Transportation committee recorded the presentation and the application related to a downtown on-site consumption license cap; staff and the applicant will continue to finalize elevator plans and the construction timeline before the council acts on any licensing changes.
