What are the future steps for Peoria business following a lukewarm response from city leaders?

During a recent Peoria City Council meeting, a liquor license application for Empire Lounge was scheduled to be denied. However, councilmember Denise Jackson decided to pull the item from the consent agenda and instead proposed a 30-day deferral. This was to allow members of the Wardcliffe Neighborhood Association to visit Empire Lounge before a final decision was made.

Located at 3033 N. Sterling Avenue, Empire Lounge had applied for a liquor license for the third time with the city of Peoria. Previous applications had been denied, with opposition mainly coming from nearby neighborhood associations such as the Wardcliffe Neighborhood Association and the Forrest Hill Neighborhood Association.

Despite the Peoria Liquor Commission recommending denial of Empire Lounge’s application due to allegations from the Peoria Police Department, the specific details were not discussed during the council meeting. The police department had claimed Empire Lounge was serving alcohol without a license, while the Peoria Fire Department had raised concerns about the business operating without a certificate of occupancy.

The decision to defer the item for 30 days was made in order to allow for further investigation and discussions. The Wardcliffe Neighborhood Association had agreed to hold their next meeting at Empire Lounge, prompting the council to wait until after that meeting to make a final decision.