Businesses forced to apply for additional entertainment license

Date: 12/27/2011

Dec. 26, 2011

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD — Any liquor-selling establishment in the city will see a change on their entertainment license come Jan. 1, 2012: all entertainment activities will cease at 1 a.m.

To bring entertainment back to the closing time of 2 a.m., owners of clubs and restaurants will have to apply to the mayor for a special permit.

Mayor Domenic Sarno confirmed his plans to Reminder Publications on Dec. 22, the day before a special public hearing would be conducted to solicit opinions about the plan from business owners and the public.

The Springfield Police Department has requested assistance from Sarno in reducing the level of illegal activity in the entertainment district when the clubs close at 2 a.m.

Sarno’s answer was to propose that any alcohol-selling establishment that has an entertainment license be required to apply for a special permit to have any form of entertainment from 1 to 2 a.m.

“We’ve got to make bold moves to move this city forward,” Sarno said.

Currently, forms of entertainment that require licenses include televisions, live music, juke boxes, pool tables, karaoke machines and exotic dancers, among others. Under Sarno’s proposal, closing time for alcohol sales would remain until 2 a.m. With no entertainment, however, the concept is that patrons would leave the entertainment district earlier.

Sarno said he has not yet determined if the permit would have a fee attached.

The idea came out of his weekly meetings with federal, state and local law enforcement officials, Sarno said.

Board of License Commissioners Chair Peter Sygnator said the board started investigating various restrictions at the request of the Police Department with the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) in Boston. The special permit for entertainment side steps any concerns the ABCC expressed about other proposals.

Sygnator said that 10 police officers have been injured in 2011 during the course of maintaining order in the entertainment.

Sarno said he “can’t keep sending in the cavalry” and the special permit “would send a message: Springfield is open for business and is clean and safe.”

Donald Courtemanche, the executive director of the Springfield Business Improvement District, said Sarno did not consult with the board of that organization about the proposed change.

Courtemanche said he believes the city should “target the bad apples out there.”

Sarno said that Hartford, Conn., has a closing time of 1 a.m. and said, “A negative element continues to traverse up here for last call.”

Michael Zaleski, the executive director of the Hartford Business Improvement District, said that closing time for Hartford bars is 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, but 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sarno said that additional measures to address the city’s crime problem will be made public next month.

“If places continue to get out of hand, we will get more severe,” he added.