PLCB Licenses First RV Park
History was made on July 1, 2009 when the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board issued a retail liquor license for the first time to a predominantly recreational vehicle park. The hotel liquor license application of Twin Grove Resort and Campground located in Union Township, Lebanon County was granted approval by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
In order for a resort area such as Twin Grove to be considered for a hotel liquor license much preliminary groundwork is required prior to submission of the liquor license application. First and foremost, it must be established that alcoholic beverages are permissible for sale in the particular municipality in which the resort is located pursuant to the local option section of the Liquor Code.
Secondly, the number of rooms available to guests depends on the population of the municipality. The rooms must have an area of not less than 80 square feet and must come equipped with a closet. Furthermore, the resort must have a dining room or rooms operated by the same management accommodating at least 30 persons at one time and a kitchen, apart from the dining room or rooms, in which food is regularly prepared for the public.
The advantage of obtaining a hotel liquor license as opposed to a restaurant liquor license is that the hotel license is exempt from the quota requirements of the Liquor Code. In other words, as long as the prospective licensee is of good repute and the aforesaid statutory requirements are met, a hotel liquor license will be granted by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board without the necessity of purchasing an existing liquor license from within the host county.
The bottom line is one must be prepared and creative if one wishes to be successful in gaining approval for a liquor license at a resort. Do not let first impressions dim your hope of obtaining a license to serve alcoholic beverages at your resort area. With some planning and the proper guidance the approval of a liquor license application by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is not far from the realm of possibility.