Mayor: Quinn's Pins liquor sales suspended after illegal liquor-license sublease, blocked exit found

Mayor DeStefano told the Middletown Common Council Monday that liquor sales at Quinn's Pins bowling alley remain suspended while the city and the New York State Liquor Authority review documents and body-camera evidence related to a large fight and apparent license irregularities.

The mayor said the police response and body-camera footage corroborate the incident report and that lease documents provided to the city show Quinn's Pins had sublet its liquor license to operators identified by the mayor as "the district." DeStefano said that practice is unlawful under state liquor law and that the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) will determine penalties or revocation.

Why this matters: the city's review identified an immediate public-safety hazard. Fire inspectors found the second required means of egress from the bar area barricaded, which the mayor said reduced the legal capacity for the bar area to 49 persons while an estimated 150 people were present the night of the incident.

DeStefano described steps the city expects Quinn's Pins to take before its local business permit will be reconsidered: cancel the unlawful lease, provide proof of cancellation to the city attorney, and otherwise demonstrate compliance with state law. He said the decision to revoke or otherwise sanction the liquor license lies with the SLA.

"It is absolutely illegal to sublet or to lease your liquor license," DeStefano said. He added that the city forwarded body-camera footage and lease documents to the New York State Liquor Authority for its review.

DeStefano said the police did not go to the bowling alley looking for licensing violations; officers responded to a large fight and discovered other problems during that response. He described the blocked exit as a serious fire-safety breach that could have created an overcrowding and evacuation hazard.

The mayor also said the city has placed the business permit on hold while the operator demonstrates who is legally responsible for the establishment and its compliance with zoning and permitting requirements. "The local issues can be rectified ... by voiding of this illegal lease, by having a clear ownership person who can be held accountable and responsible," he said.

DeStefano praised the city police and fire departments for their response. He said the next steps are procedural: the operator must show the unlawful lease has been canceled and demonstrate compliance; the SLA will determine any licensing penalties; and the city will reconsider the business permit once local issues are resolved.

The mayor did not announce any formal city enforcement action or a council vote at the meeting. The Police Chief and the Fire Chief were present earlier in the agenda with related public-safety updates but did not announce additional formal actions on the liquor-license matter at the meeting.

Ending: The mayor said he supports Quinn's Pins reopening at full capacity if the operator corrects the legal and safety problems. The SLA will make any licensing determination; the city said it will require proof of corrected compliance before issuing a local business permit.