Gillette Stadium Liquor License Premise Expansion Request Rejected

A plan to expand the coverage of the Gillette Stadium liquor license in anticipation of a possible transfer of a liquor license to Splitsville was halted by the selectmen Tuesday night. Voting 3-2 against a motion to allow for Gillette Stadium’s liquor license to cover the Dana Farber Field House, Kraft Group officials were unable to get the area under one license.

Mark Sullivan and Jim DeVellis voted for the change the premise of the license while John Gray, Ginny Coppola, and Lorraine Brue voted in the negative.

Currently, the field house has it’s own license for when events special receptions are held including before stadium events. A third license assigned to separate part of the stadium property was transferred to Saga Hibachi Steakhouse & Sushi Bar earlier this year.

If approved, the Gillette Stadium property, including the practice fields and the field house would be covered by one license.

Gillette Stadium Senior Vice President of Operations Jim Nolan, who is the manager listed on the license, told the board that stadium operation treats the licenses as if they were one with identical personal for each one. A decrease to one license with a broader reach would not cause any changes accordion to Nolan.

"It really remains unchanges. We’re going to operate the same as we do today," Nolan told the board.

He also cited their efforts to allow fans to report a disruption and their practice of disinviting anyone who is arrested or taken into protective custody as examples of how serious the view the issue of serving alcohol.

New England Revolution President Brian Bilello spoke of the importance of being able to serve alcohol in the field house before special event and to have a place for special guests and sponsors during events leading up to major matches such at the Brazil-Portugal soccer friendly that took place in September.

Former Patriot and Foxboro resident Matt Light said he has used the field house for charity function as have other charities.

According to police chief Ed O’Leary, guests in the field house on game day get their ticket scanned before going into the facility. When they move into the stadium, they are let in though a back gate before the gates open. 

There were concerns however from board members on the distance from stadium and the coverage area.

“My concern is that you had two licenses you freely gave away so my question is why should we give you the ability to have alcohol in places originally served by two licenses?” Selectman Ginny Coppola said.

Kraft Group legal council James Corby defended the request, calling the license for the field house underutilized, with a transfer to Splitsville allowing the license to be used regularly. 

Attorney David A. DeLuca, who was hired by the board as special council for the liquor license transfer said there is a precedent where stadiums and multiple buildings have been granted under the same license including a golf course where a liquor license covered the entire premise of the course.

Without a license covering the field house, the Kraft Group could apply for a one-day license for only beer and wine up to 30 times a year at the discretion of the board.

Sullivan also did not feel comfortable with the idea of creating more paperwork and requests for one-day licenses. He did however vote for the change in the license.

The expansion in area covered by the license appears to be unnecessary for now as the selectmen denied the transfer of the license to Splitsville later than evening.