Iowa City grants one liquor license, denies another

The City Council Tuesday night put its stamp of approval on the liquor license application from the potential new owner of the Summit Restaurant & Bar.

AKA White Inc., owned by Andrew White of Urbandale, applied for the liquor license for the Summit, 10 S. Clinton St. The bar currently is owned by Mike Porter, who has battled the council on many occasions, particularly over the 21-only bar law.

White has filed paperwork announcing his intention to buy the bar. City Clerk Marian Karr said before the meeting that it's common for a party interested in buying an establishment to seek approval from the local authority for a liquor license before closing on the purchase.

White still must get state approval for the liquor license, and Karr said the state will want to see a purchase agreement in place.

The council approved the license application 6-0, with Mayor Matt Hayek abstaining, without comment during the consent calendar portion of its meeting.

With the same vote, the council denied a liquor license to the group behind the proposed tailgating venture called the Stadium Club at 817 Melrose Ave.

The move was not a surprise because Doug Boothroy, the city's director of housing and inspection services, had previously denied the Stadium Club's request for a temporary-use permit, which is needed for it to have its planned tailgating activities there and for the same reasons recommended against a liquor license.

The site is the former home of the Magic Bus, and the owners of the property have said they are now considering their options, including possibly bringing the Magic Bus back.

Karr said only commercial ventures need a liquor license, not non-profits like the Magic Bus. In an e-mail to the city Tuesday, the Stadium Club's Tracy Barkalow said the group is filing for non-profit status with the state and federal governments.

However, a housing and inspection services official told Barkalow Tuesday that his second application for a temporary-use permit would not be considered until the permanent improvements made to the property – including a paved parking area –are removed.