Liquor Licenses for Redevelopment - PA 501 of 2006
The Liquor Control Commission (LCC) may issue new public on-premises liquor licenses to local units of government in development districts. These licenses are not transferable to another location, and if the business with a license goes out of business, the license is surrendered to the LCC. If a license is surrendered back to the LCC from a business, the local unit of government may approve another applicant in that same development district to replace the licensee as long as the new business meets the same requirements. Licensed businesses must be engaged in dining, entertainment, recreation, be open to the general public, have a seating capacity of at least 50 people, demonstrate they attempted to purchase a readily available license within the municipality that they want to operate, and that one was not available, and pay a $20,000 fee for the license.
As stated above the licenses must be issued to businesses in a development district, which would include a Downtown Development District. These businesses must do one of the following to receive a license, expend at least $75,000 for the rehabilitation or restoration of the building over a period of time preceding five years or commit capital investment of at least $75,000 that will be expended for the building before the license is issued. The total amount of private and public investment in real and personal property in the development district (DDA) must be at least $200,000 for the last 5 years. Licenses will be issued for each of the above ($200,000) monetary thresholds is reached, and for each major fraction thereof after the initial threshold is reached. The recent completion of the streetscape on Third Street would qualify as public investment. | 
