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License board approves transfer of all‑alcohol license for White House Golf Inc.
Summary
The Holyoke license board unanimously approved the transfer of an all‑alcohol on‑premise license to White House Golf Inc., allowing the new owners and proposed manager to seek state approval; staff emphasized that state paperwork must be complete before the ABCC processes the license.
The Holyoke City License Board voted unanimously Dec. 18 to approve the transfer of an all‑alcohol on‑premise license for the business presented to the board as White House Golf Inc., located at 233 East Hampton Road. The board opened a public hearing and then closed it before taking the vote.
John Ross, the applicant’s attorney, told the board his client is purchasing assets from the current country‑club owner and plans to continue operating the facility as a golf club while making course and building improvements. Ross introduced majority shareholder Cesar Ruiz and proposed manager Eric Maldonado, who described previous hospitality and management experience and said his ServSafe certification is current.
Board members asked staff about the timeline for state review. Staff said the Department of Revenue certificate and other paperwork must be delivered to the office before the application is sent to the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC); staff estimated the ABCC’s review can take about four to six weeks if the state is satisfied with the application. The chair and commissioners emphasized that the local vote approves only the change in ownership and that any operational changes would require a future submission to the board.
A neighbor sent a lengthy written objection that staff placed into the meeting record; the author did not appear to speak in person. Commissioners discussed whether the written material was relevant to the local transfer hearing and agreed to include the correspondence in the record without reading it into the minutes.
The board closed the hearing and then voted to approve the transfer. All three commissioners present voted in favor. Staff noted the license will not be forwarded to the state until all required documentation is complete and received.
The board’s action permits White House Golf Inc. to proceed with the next administrative steps; the company still must obtain state approval from the ABCC and satisfy any outstanding Department of Revenue paperwork before the license is issued for use.
