A sports bar and grill set to appear in University Square will no longer grace the corner of Johnson and Lake Street.
Developer Scott Acker, also the owner of Quaker Steak and Lube in Middleton, withdrew his application to develop the 900 capacity space last week.
""The Badger Hall of Fame"" as it was tentatively called, was to be a cross between an EPSN Zone sports bar and Dave and Busters restaurant.
According to Alcohol License Review Committee member Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, the proposal was not well received by the ALRC at their July meeting, and this may have contributed to Acker's decision.
""[The developers] were not too pleased with the questioning and discussion at the meeting,"" Verveer said.
Acker could not be reached for comment.
Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, was disappointed by Acker's decision to withdraw.
""I tried to work with the applicant to come up with conditions and plans to make it work,"" he said. ""It's the exact kind of place that we want developed in our downtown campus area ... I'm disappointed that this project couldn't work.""
Eagon speculated Acker's withdrawal was attributed to internal financial issues due to building debts that had to be paid off from the previous construction in the space.
ALRC member Ald. Michael Shumacher, District 18, said the city's alcohol density plan contributed to his objections with Acker's proposal.
""I made a comment to them that I would request an audit within a year to see that they were a bona fide restaurant,"" Shumacher said. ""I think they recognized it would be an uphill battle.""
Shumacher said any future applicant would face the same amount of scrutiny.
