Officials at the Country Club of Tuscaloosa (Ala.) are puzzled as to why they could not host a recent charity golf tournament without forfeiting the club’s liquor license, even though similar events have been held there and at other private country clubs in the area for years, reports the Tuscaloosa News.
General Manager Sid Wilson said the country club had to cancel the golf tournament, which it planned to host on behalf of the Homebuilders Association of Tuscaloosa. Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board enforcement officials told club officials that a club with a private club liquor license could not hold events open to the general public, Wilson said.
Private country clubs host the weekly and monthly meetings of many of Tuscaloosa’s civic clubs. They also lease space to non-members for wedding receptions, banquets, parties and charity events.
“We hold a liquor license for a private club,” Wilson said. “According to the ABC enforcement division, we cannot hold any function except for members or their guests.”
The charity tournament was rescheduled for another golf course.
For charity functions, the Country Club of Tuscaloosa typically rents its facilities to an organization and closes it to members for that day. The organization can purchase alcohol to be sold or given away and the country club will provide staff to serve it for a fee. The alcohol was served under the club’s private club license.
Private club liquor licenses allow private clubs to serve alcohol on Sundays when other establishments cannot. Wilson said he was told that only members and their guests could be served.
Wilson told the News that ABC officials also told him the club could not host the charity event regardless of whether alcohol was served, because establishments with a private club license cannot hold events that allow the general public to use the facility.
Wilson said ABC agents told him that the club could get a regular retail liquor license, but would then have to give up its private club license.
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