|
|
|||||||||
Home / News / Press Releases
/ Testimony
/ Legislation
/ On the Issues
/ Newsletter
/ Resources /
|
|||||||||
|
|
Testimony
of State Senator Liz Krueger At a 500 Foot Hearing Before
the State Liquor Authority (SLA) Regarding the Liquor
License Establishment Formerly
Known as the Cheetah Club March
2, 2004
Good morning, I am State Senator
Liz Krueger and I represent the 26th Senatorial District, which
includes Midtown and the East Side of Manhattan. I want to thank the SLA for allowing me the opportunity to make
a statement today regarding the 500 Foot Rule with relation to the establishment
formerly known as the Cheetah Club.
Based on the record in this case, I urge the SLA to reject this liquor
license application. The Cheetah Club is located at 12
West 21st Street in a densely populated residential neighborhood
in the southern tier of my district. The
poor legal record of the Cheetah Club has been clearly established. The Cheetah Club has been cited by the 13th
Precinct as being the major “problem liquor license establishment” in the
area and has received 232 summonses since January 1, 2002. Based on the record of problems at this
establishment, Community Board 5 opposed license renewal for the Cheetah Club
in 2002. Unfortunately the renewal
was granted, and the problems have remained.
The situation at this venue has escalated to a degree that warrants
SLA intervention under the New York State law commonly known as the Rowdy Bar
Law. Furthermore, the club is located
within Community Board 5’s “designated moratorium area” which is essentially
“a block that is densely populated and adversely affected by loud, unruly
patrons, traffic jams, volume-raised boom-boxes, strewn promotional flyers
and pole-stapled promotional posters”.
The location of the Cheetah Club in a heavily residential area has
only exacerbated the myriad of problems that it has caused. Residents of several buildings in the area
have complained to my office with increasing frequency, as well as to the
offices of other elected officials and to Community Board 5, regarding
problems caused by the club. The
purpose of a 500 Foot hearing is to assess whether or not a liquor license
establishment, located within 500 feet of three or more liquor license
establishments, is within the “public interest”, as stated in the Alcohol
Beverage Control law. Clearly, based
upon the presence of over a dozen other establishments within a one block
radius and the continuing complaints of residents, the liquor license
establishment in question is not within the public interest. I
urge the SLA to take immediate action against this problem establishment in
accordance with New York State law. I
believe that the lengthy record of violating the law and the encouragement of
careless and lawless behavior by its patrons merits a denial of a license for
the proposed establishment in Cheetah Club’s space. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
|
|||||||
