GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The City of Green Bay and its police department do not want to renew the liquor license for one downtown business.
The city council recommended Tuesday night to not renew the liquor license for Presidente Mexican Kitchen, located at 219 N Washington Street.
“It’s very rare that we do this,” said Chief Andrew Smith of the Green Bay Police Department.
“We only do this in the cases where we’re not able to resolve the problems by working with the owner of any particular establishment.”
The owner of the restaurant, Marco La Port, has 10 days to appeal the decision, which he says he plans to do.
Showing up an hour late to Green Bay’s city council meeting, La Port says he had no idea his liquor license was in danger.
“I don’t understand this because I did all the processes,” La Port told the council. “No one told me nothing until today.”
But Chief Smith says they gave plenty of warning about the meeting and the need to improve his business.
“Over and over and over again, my officers have been there to try and explain what you need to do to clean that business up. Over and over and over again it has not happened.”
Smith tells FOX 11 the business has had issues with fights, serving underage drinkers, over-serving customers, and staying open beyond bar close. Police also say the state came in and destroyed $2,000 of illegally purchased alcohol.
“It goes to show you it’s kind of a reflection of the rest of the establishment. It’s one problem after another.”
La Port tells FOX 11 the issues are from an entertainment company he hired to manage the second-story bar above the restaurant.
“Presidente was a mess completely after that company goes the management of the place. They ran it really bad. They did a lot of stuff that I didn’t approve, to be honest.”
La Port says the upper-level bar is only open Saturdays to keep the business afloat. He says he’d be willing to shut it down if the city would let him keep the liquor license for the restaurant. He says if the liquor license is lost, the restaurant will have to close.
“If you don’t sell liquor, they don’t go to your place.”
La Port says Presidente Mexican Kitchen no longer has any connection to El Presidente in De Pere, a business he also used to be a part of.
