Bar owners may face fines for all-you-can-drink specials
Three Downers Grove bars that offered all-you-can-drink specials during the Super Bowl were found to have violated state and local liquor laws, the Downers Grove Liquor Commission determined Thursday night.
On Super Bowl Sunday detectives from the Downers Grove police department went to a number of establishments that had advertised bottomless alcohol specials to investigate. Their findings were forwarded on to the village attorney’s office, which presented results of the investigation to the liquor commission.
Another Round Bar & Grill, Roundheads Pizza Pub – both owned by Nagy Brothers LLC – as well as Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant were all found to have violated the laws by both advertising and offering the all-you-can-drink-specials.
“I apologize for violation. We were overzealous trying to promote people coming to Downers Grove and to the pub. We clearly violated the laws,” Ballydoyle owner Paul Cullen told the commission. He added that his bar had so few customers on Super Bowl Sunday that the bar didn’t even sell one of their $30 all-you-can-drink Miller Light specials.
The sanction handed down on Thursday was the third violation the establishment, located at 5157 Main Street, has received in the past five years, prompting commissioners to consider a higher penalty than the norm.
Assistant village attorney Beth Janicki-Clark recommended Ballydoyle face a fine, administrative fees and temporary suspension of the bar’s liquor license.
Board members agreed to let the Mayor Ron Sandack, who serves as the village’s liquor commissioner, determine the fine for the bar, but forwarded a recommendation that the bar be fined as much as $15,000 plus $1,000 administrative fees for the hearing.
The owners of Roundheads Pizza, located at 2001 63rd Street, had not received a liquor ordinance violation in 15 years of business.
Nick and Jay Nagy of Nagy Brothers told the commission the restaurant offered an all-you-can-drink special, but it was only meant for attendees of a private party that were in the bar. However, Roundheads also advertised the special.
“I’m not sure how it went from a private party to being advertised on the Internet as a public party?” board commissioner Paul Adank asked the two brothers.
At Another Round, the other bar the two operate, which is located at 5141 Main Street, the all-you-can-drink special was briefly advertised – though not actually held.
Village attorneys made note that that a previous advertisement for a New Year’s event appeared to violate the liquor code and the village officials had been in e-mail contact with Nick Nagy over the matter.
Given the previous incidents, prosecutors asked for fines and fees that could total up to $16,000 in addition to a 1 to 3 day liquor license suspension at both Nagy-owned bars, the board decided against recommending a suspension and opted for a fine of $500 at Another Round with possible administrative fees that could reach $1,000. The find recommended fines of $2,500 to $15,000 for Roundheads Pizza with administrative fees of up to $1,000.
The final decision is up to Sandack, who also serves in the Illinois State Senate. He has 30 days to take action on the board’s recommendations
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