TPC Wisconsin, tournament vendor cleared to serve alcohol on course for American Family Championship week

The Alcohol License Review Committee on April 16 approved a temporary reconfiguration of liquor licensing for TPC Wisconsin and the American Family Insurance Championship, allowing tournament concession services to sell alcohol on the golf course during the tournament week of June 2–8.

Dave Olzuk, representing Cherokee Park Inc. and TPC Wisconsin, told the committee the club would temporarily restrict its own liquor license to the clubhouse for the tournament week and that the tournament’s concessionaire — a national event vendor — would operate on-course concessions under a separate license. Nate Pokrass, executive director of the American Family Insurance Championship, said the event has been run since 2016 at University Ridge and will move to TPC Wisconsin this year; he said the tournament’s concessionaire has a long history with the event and that proceeds from the tournament are distributed to local charities, including the American Family Children’s Hospital.

Assistant City Attorney Jennifer Zilavy said she consulted the Wisconsin Department of Revenue on the proposed approach and that DOR advised that the temporary arrangement — TPC limiting its licensed premises for the week and the tournament vendor holding a separate license for on-course concessions — is appropriate. Zilavy said the vendor could either reapply each year or seek a small permanent amendment later if the parties decide to do so.

Neighbors raised concerns about communications and an open-ended phrase in the application that would leave a small portion of the golf course licensed after June 8. Joanne Kanter, who said she lives across the street from the course, asked that the license not remain open-ended past the event, citing impacts on local residents. Zilavy and Pokrass explained the applicant’s reason for preserving a minimal parcel of licensed premise after the event: maintaining a token premise can avoid reapplying and paying a large fee in future years when the tournament returns under the existing three-year contract (2025–2027).

Committee members asked about parking and neighborhood outreach. Pokrass said separate applications and meetings on parking and parks matters were ongoing and that the tournament had hosted listening sessions and condo association outreach; he confirmed larger public attendance would be concentrated over a three-day window during the week.

On motion by Alder Figueroa Cole, the committee voted to recommend that the Common Council grant items 9 and 20 (change of premises for the clubhouse and the concessionaire’s class B license on the course) and later approved item 19 (a related new license) after public testimony. Committee members had no objections; the motions were adopted.

Why it matters: the temporary licensing arrangement permits large-scale daytime alcohol service on the golf course tied to a major charitable sporting event; it raises neighborhood concerns about communication, parking and the duration and geographic scope of licensed premises.