Kent Wants Entertainment District to Help New Restaurants Get Liquor Licenses

Creating an entertainment district in downtown Kent isn't a new idea, but it will get a fresh look from members this year.

Two developers in the midst of, or planning, redevelopment projects in downtown Kent have asked the city to consider establishing a formal entertainment district to support several new restaurants coming to downtown. Such a district would allow the restaurants to have liquor licenses so they can sell alcohol to customers.

Phoenix Properties, the developer behind , and Fairmount Properties, , have asked council to consider the idea so new restaurants both developers are bringing to Kent will be able to serve alcohol. Kent has reached its allowable total for full-service liquor licenses from the state.

Dan Smith, Kent's economic development director, said there are two ways new restaurants can obtain a liquor license.

First, if the restaurant meets certain conditions it can obtain a D-5i permit from the state without need for an entertainment district. If a new restaurant is larger than 4,000 square feet, has 140 seats and beer and liquor sales don't exceed 25 percent of gross sales, then the restaurant can apply for a D-5i liquor permit from the state.

"If they don’t meet that criteria, the only other option is the entertainment district," Smith said.

Several of the restaurants planned fall short of those requirements for the D-5i.

Laziza, a Mediterannean-style falls short of the square footage and seating requirements. A second, unnamed restaurant coming to Acorn Alley II may meet the 4,000 square foot requirement, but seating size is unclear.

New restaurants planned by Fairmount that may need the entertainment district to obtain liquor licenses include Aladdin's, Bricco and Panini's bar and grill.

"The district has to have no less than 20 contiguous acres," Smith said. "One additional permit could be secured per 5 acres. So if we do a 20-acre entertainment district, four additional (permits) could be secured."

There are several requirements a city must meet before it can establish an entertainment district, according to Ohio Revised Code section 4301.80. Smith said Kent's redevelopment district meets the requirements for the district and Kent City Council would have to pass a resolution supporting the district before an application can be sent to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control.

Smith said the district's boundary lines and other details are unclear at this point.

"I think it would be safe to say it would be within the redevelopment block," he said.

As of April 1, Kent had 145 total permits issued to 56 permit holders within the city, according to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control. In certain situations, businesses must hold more than one permit for beer and wine and other liquor sales.

Matt Mullins, a spokesperson for the division of liquor control, said the entertainment district would allow for more D-5j permits, which give the same permission as D-5 permits —full permission for beer, wine and low-proof and spirituous liquor sales for on-premise consumption.

"You can also sell beer, wine and low-proof for carry out," Mullins said.

Kent has no D-5 permits available.

"That’s one of the reasons various communities decide to put in an entertainment district, because it does allow you to have some permits exempt for business purposes," Mullins said. "The local legislative body has the ability to create the district. We review it to make sure it meets the criteria. And of course each individual permit has to be applied for individually by the business."

The idea of an entertainment district is supported by the directors of Kent's two local business organizations.

Main Street Kent Executive Director Mary Gilbert said she likes the idea if it will bring more full-service restaurants to downtown Kent.

"It has not been officially supported by the Main Street Kent board, but it is definitely a tool that many Main Street communities use in order to get more restaurants downtown," Gilbert said. "If that’s a tool we can use to get more business down here to improve the economy, I think it’s great."

Her counterpart at the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, Lori Wemhoff, agrees.

"I think that’s a great idea," Wemhoff said. "I think it could only help all of the businesses, the ones that exist already and also the new ones that are coming into town."

Council isn't expected to talk about the idea until later this fall. City administrators sought to fast-track the issue and get it on council's agenda this month, but they delayed it after learning Phoenix Properties may not need the district and the licenses it would bring immediately.

"More licenses will be needed for Fairmount's restaurants next year, so we will reschedule this item as we get closer to that time period," Kent City Manager Dave Ruller said in an email to council members.