WOSU News » liquor

Approval Of Liquor Issue Clears Way For Entertainment District

Steve Brown — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:16:12 +0000

City leaders in Upper Arlington say they’re ready to proceed a planned entertainment district now that voters have approved expanded liquor sales.

Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved allowing alcohol sales in all parts of the 39-acre development on Lane Avenue. City council president Frank Ciotola says the district will include a hotel, apartments, additional restaurants, and office space.

“It shoud add some more vitality to the area. And there are other parcels that might end up being developed a little bit at a time, but obviously this is going to be the big bulk of it.”

Ciotola expects most of the work to be finished in about a year.

City leaders had feared that a possible “no” vote on the liquor issue would have outlawed liquor sales by long-time businesses in the area.

DeWine: No Vote On Liquor Issue Would Invalidate Existing Licenses

Jo Ingles — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:57:48 +0000

Sometimes, when properties are being developed, they will be designated as community entertainment districts. That allows everything that could be developed within that district to be zoned “wet” for purposes of selling beer and alcohol.

But Dan Tierney with the Ohio Attorney General says there could be a downside to existing businesses if a city tries to develop a community entertainment district in an area that already includes businesses with liquor permits.

“The way the law is written, when a community education district is established, all of the votes to allow liquor at premises are valid until the vote takes place for the entire community entertainment district. And then that vote would supercede all of the votes that have been done on the site level.”

“So if the vote were to pass, there would still be the allowance of spirituous liquor to be sold at those locations.”

If it were to fail, it would, in fact, supercede the previous votes and there would be no beer or spirituous liquor allowed to be sold anywhere within the community entertainment district.

The attorney general’s opinion on the issue was sought after Upper Arlington residents voted to make part of the community’s downtown area a entertainment district. Businesses within that district that currently serve alcohol expressed concern that an upcoming vote could make the entire area dry.

There’s no word yet on whether the city will keep the issue on the ballot now that the attorney general has issued this opinion.

Dollar Sales Of Liquor Hit Record High In Ohio

Bill Cohen — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The dollar sales of liquor in Ohio set a new record high last year. But, as statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports, that does not mean that Ohioans are drinking more alcohol.

Liquor permit holders file petition

Jo Ingles — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Some groups that represent liquor permit holders in Ohio want to repeal the new statewide smoking ban.

Eighth straight year: Ohio liquor sales increase

Mandie Trimble — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0000

For the eighth year in a row liquor sales have increased in Ohio.

Liquor officials say Ohioans spent more than $655 million on liquor last year. That’s 10 million gallons of liquor – an increase of more than three percent over 2005. Liquor control spokesman, Matt Mullins, credited efficient inventory control to increased revenue.

“We’ve also done a good job of reducing our inventory so that the products turn over very efficiently. And that increases the sales at the end of the year for the division,” Mullins said.

Mullins said another contributor to the sales increase is the price of liquor, which has gone up. And more people are buying premium brands. Nine of the top ten selling liquors were considered premium.