Council approves adult tournament alcohol dates but denies expanded license for youth hockey association

The City of New Richmond council approved temporary liquor service for the men’s hockey tournament but voted down a motion to approve the association’s broader application that would have allowed alcohol at additional youth‑tournament weekends.

Angela Olsen, speaking for the New Richmond Hockey Association, told the council the group had complied with state and city rules and used licensed servers at past events. “We’re talking about parents having a couple beers for an hour during a game, and then we push them downtown,” Olsen said, adding that the association increased safety measures and relied on licensed servers.

Police staff reported they conducted unscheduled inspections last year and “didn’t discover any violations during any of the tournaments,” the police chief said in presenting the department’s review. That enforcement history was cited by supporters during the meeting.

Several council members expressed concern about allowing alcohol at events where children are present. One council speaker said, “I just don’t like the idea… it’s all about alcohol. That’s how we’re going to raise money,” and urged the city to find alternative fundraising paths.

The council voted first to approve alcohol service for the adult/men’s tournament dates (March 14–16). Later, a motion to approve the application “as presented” — which would have covered the expanded dates and youth tournaments — failed on a roll‑call vote. The presiding clerical record shows several recorded “no” votes; the meeting adjourned that agenda item after the failed motion. Olsen said the association has previously received the temporary Class B license for many years and noted the revenue from beer and seltzer sales is material to the group’s fundraising.

Next steps: the association may reapply in future cycles; city staff said the license process remains annual and the council could revisit specific dates at later meetings.