The Alcohol License Review Committee granted Wednesday a new bar located near Camp Randall Stadium, which will have a capacity of up to 1,660 on football game days, an entertainment license and alcohol license.
Sconnie Bar will be located at 1421 Regent St., pending approval of the licenses from Common Council. The bar will be located in the former spot of Lucky’s Bar, which is moving down the street. Managing member Thomas Van Wie said the bar will be a similar setup to Lucky’s.
The entertainment license will allow the bar to feature a DJ, karaoke and small bands. But the approval requires the bar to have entertainment only four times a month, among other contingencies. It will also have an indoor capacity of 160 inside.
Van Wie described the bar in his application as a “casual neighborhood sports bar marketing to all Wisconsin sports fans from high school to the pros. It will feature a full service bar and restaurant… including 30+ TVs and 20 tap beer lines.”
Several community members spoke at the meeting in support of the bar, including Sconnie brand co-founder and owner Troy Vosseller and the property’s landlord. Four members of the community spoke out against the entertainment license due to concerns over noise, with all voicing concern that noise is already a problem with Lucky’s.
Also on the agenda was Osaka House on State Street. Jun Luo, the bar’s new owner, took over March 1. He went before the committee requesting an alcohol license for the first and second floor.
Madison Police Department Capt. Carl Gloede said five days after the switch in management, MPD performed a compliance check and found multiple underage drinkers on the second floor and Luo intoxicated.
After more than an hour of discussion, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, made a motion to approve Luo’s license with several conditions. Those conditions included the restaurant will only be able to serve alcohol on the first floor, while serving food and with time limits. However, the committee ultimately denied the alcohol license.
The ALRC also granted DLS an alcohol license. DLS will be operating concessions for the new Orpheum Theater operator Live Nation. Gus Paras and his family will still own the property, but Live Nation will be managing the theater.
The new DLS license comes in the midst of a lawsuit brought by Paras’ former Orpheum business partner, Henry Doane. Doane is claiming that Paras owes him portions of revenue from operating the Orpheum for various reasons. According to court documents, Paras is counter-suing. The case is still pending.
Future Live Nation General Manager Karen Foley said DLS will have 25-30 on staff and Live Nation will have 30-40. She also said she can promise a safe venue, but needs to do more market research before establishing how many travelling shows Live Nation will bring to the Orpheum.
