The new downtown Westin Hotel will be having a New Years Eve party, with events that include children. Event Planner for the hotel, Tom Marshall, came to the Thursday morning city beer board meeting to get a special events beer license for the street party.
Permits have been obtained for closing Pine, Chestnut and Broad Streets that are around the hotel. The party will take place in the streets that will have barricades to block traffic. The beer board approved the license, which will allow several craft beers to be served from a Budweiser beer wagon.
Activities will include a laser light show that will be projected on the side of the hotel’s building each hour between 6 and 10 p.m. Catering to children, the "Not So Late Party," will have popcorn, face painters and balloons being thrown off the nearby parking garage and an early "ball drop," will take place at 7:30 p.m.
At 11:30 p.m. a live telecast from Times Square will be projected on a large screen. Those buying beer will have IDs checked and will be issued wrist bands. In planning the event, security has been addressed by hiring 15 off-duty police officers who will be stationed around the streets and on each level of the parking deck.
The beer board held a hearing for HB Lounge, 2716 Dodson Ave., for failing to report a disorder on the night of Nov. 26. The security guard employed by the business heard a gunshot and witnessed a fight between two people in the parking lot at around 3 a.m. as the bar was closing. The two people ran in opposite directions after he broke up the fight, according to the guard. He said there was a bullet hole in one vehicle. Blood was found on that truck and in the parking lot, which he assumed was a result of the fight. It was a customer who notified the police of the incident almost 15 minutes after it happened, when he saw a bullet hole in his vehicle and the blood. Later that night, a neighbor who had also been at HB Lounge that night, reported a gunshot hole in her vehicle, said Chattanooga Police Officer John Collins.
The owner of the bar, Keveon Kennebrew, told the board that he was the one who told the victim to call the police. He said that no one inside had heard a gunshot and was unaware anything had happened prior to being told by the victim. Since that night, he has put a female at the door to check women for weapons, alongside the security guard.
Mr. Kennebrew was advised that the guard should have reported the disorder as soon as it happend, which would have triggered immediate police response and increased the possibility of catching the individuals involved. But because the board felt that the owner was not responsible and that he is attempting to prevent incidents like this in the future, the decision was made to punish the violation by only putting a letter documenting the incident in the business’ file.
Two convenience stores in Chattanooga were approved for carryout beer licenses. Monique Staples, owner of 4th Corner Store, 2800 E. 4th Ave., is opening a new store in that neighborhood and was given a permit to sell beer. It will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from noon until p.m. on Sunday..
Sean Hywn-Suk Kim owned the Ace Market, 2100 E. Main St., 20 years ago. He sold the business in 1996. That owner has sold the store back to Mr. Kim, who had to get a new beer permit in his name. Hours will be from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Opening on Sunday is being considered.
Owners of both convenience stores were urged to have their employees professionally trained in beer sales and to become part of the Responsible Vendor training from the state of Tennessee.
Richard Dean, district manager of the western district for Walgreens, received beer permits for four locations of Rite Aid stores that were purchased by Walgreens, effective Dec. 14. A carryout beer license was given to Rite Aid stores at 5441 Highway 153, 3569 Brainerd Rd., 4434 Highway 58 and 7354 E. Brainerd Rd. The other three locations of Rite Aid in Chattanooga received permits at a previous beer board meeting.