Liquor sales could come to Wisconsin movie theaters

Kristen Hildebrand is concerned that allowing the sale of alcohol at movie theaters would mean it easily could fall into the hands of minors.

"We are concerned about how you monitor it, after the lights go down, and who is consuming," Hildebrand said.

One of the provisions included in the state's two-year budget bill, which the full Legislature is expected to start debating next week, would allow movie theaters to seek a class B liquor or class B beer license.

Hildebrand, coordinator for Reality Check 21 Partnership - an Eau Claire County coalition of community agency representatives, law enforcement officers, health care professionals, educators, businesses, public officials and citizens that offers substance abuse and mental health services - is concerned about the ramifications of the measure.

"Alcohol is already widely available in Wisconsin," Hildebrand said. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to us to have another outlet to buy it."

The legislation would allow theaters to obtain either a beer or liquor license or permit, and would allow the sale of those drinks, even with minors present.

Hildebrand is disappointed that few people are aware of the provision, and it doesn't appear that a public hearing will be held on the topic.

"We feel most people don't know about it," she said. "We feel passing this provision would increase the problem of underage drinking."

Mike Olson, co-owner of Micon Cinemas, wasn't aware of the legislation. He said

he probably wouldn't try to obtain a beer or liquor license for the two larger, family-oriented theaters he operates in Chippewa Falls and on Eau Claire's south side, but he would consider trying to obtain a liquor license for his downtown Eau Claire budget theater.
"In the right application, it might be something to pursue," Olson said. "We're in the movie business, not the bar business."

Olson said his goal is to renovate the upstairs screen in the downtown theater and have it show art films; an alcohol license would be a good fit for that venue, he said.

"If we have the right movies upstairs, and we had alcohol, and sales were controllable, that could work for us," Olson said.

Sean Lansing, spokesman for state Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, said some theaters in the state already have liquor licenses, even though current state law doesn't allow it.

"This has been going on across the state," Lansing said. "It catches state law up with common practice."

Both the Assembly and Senate must approve the measure before it reaches Gov. Scott Walker's desk for approval or a veto.