Planning board closes hearing on Main Event at Tanger Outlets, reserves decision

The Town of Babylon Planning Board closed the public hearing Oct. 21 on a site-plan amendment that would convert a former retail space at Tanger Outlet Center into a Main Event family entertainment center and 475-seat bar, and reserved its decision while leaving the record open for written comments.

Philip Butler, counsel for the applicant, said the proposal would retent an approximately 46,000-square-foot first-floor retail space formerly occupied by The Christmas Tree Shop for Main Event, a family entertainment center offering arcade games, virtual reality, bowling, laser tag and billiards, with full food service and on-site alcohol sales. "Generally, we have no issue with the comments," Butler told the board while handing up a photo deck and describing the use.

Wayne Mueller of R&M Engineering, sworn as a witness, gave the site measurements. "The existing building area is 46,681 square feet," Mueller said, adding the applicant proposes a 2,840-square-foot mezzanine for a total of about 49,521 square feet. Butler clarified that the Main Event space is separate from a seasonal "Christmas Land" experience on the building's second floor, which the application also seeks to legalize.

The applicant described modest exterior work — an east-side entry modification, bollards and a new grease trap — and said no parking will be lost. The submission includes a traffic-impact statement prepared by R&M Engineering. Butler said the applicant has worked with the Industrial Development Agency on draft amendments to IDA-imposed covenants and expected the IDA to consider the draft at an upcoming meeting.

Board members pressed for detail on covenants and operating conditions. Butler asked that proposed covenant 115 be tailored specifically to the Main Event space rather than function as a blanket restriction on the center. He also said Main Event does not plan live entertainment as part of its regular operations but asked that the covenants not prohibit periodic center events such as holiday music.

The board asked about hours and lease length. Butler said Main Event would generally operate Monday 11 a.m.–1 a.m.; Tuesday–Thursday 11 a.m.–12 a.m.; and Friday 11 a.m.–2 a.m., noting these hours are consistent with nearby restaurants. He said the lease is expected to be 10 years with options for extension.

After discussion, a motion to close the public hearing record was made, seconded and adopted. The board recorded the vote and closed the public hearing, then reserved decision to a later date. The chair said the record will remain open for written comments and provided the planning department's contact information for follow-up: in person at town hall's west wing, by phone at 631-957-3103, or by email at planningcomments@townofbabylon.com. Applicant documents and plans are available for inspection during planning office hours.

The board did not take a final vote on the site-plan amendment at the hearing; the decision will be issued at a later meeting after the board reviews written comments and outstanding covenant language.