MINOT – A special meeting of the City Council Friday resulted in the suspension of the liquor license for the remainder of 2023 and an 18-day delay in license renewal in 2024 for The Spot located downtown.
The special meeting was called over concerns that KP2, doing business as The Spot, was several times in violation of both its liquor license and meeting commercial building code. The Spot’s liquor license is for only main floor operation but, on multiple occasions over several years, The Spot held gatherings on the location’s second floor where liquor was served without obtaining a required special permit.
Police Chief John Klug, citing five known violations, recommended that The Spot’s liquor license be suspended for the remainder of 2023, the last day of the business’s license before renewal in 2024.
“It’s the longest suspension I could ask for because that’s all that was left on the license,” Klug told the Council. “It doesn’t bring into account what happens with next year’s license.”
The Spot, which voluntarily closed last Monday, admits to the violations, offered an apology to the city, and vowed to be compliant in the future. Counsel for The Spot told City Council that forcing the business to close would have “negative repercussion for The Spot and the City of Minot,” noting that closure would result in the loss of nine jobs.
The council considered revocation of The Spot’s license, a move that would mean the business could not apply for another liquor license for a five-year period.
Mayor Tom Ross said he attended an event at The Spot that was later revealed to be in violation of city ordinance.
“It was a Business After Hours sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce,” said Ross. “I assumed all was on the up and up.”
Klug explained that The Spot was in “several violations of building and fire code” when he denied them a special use permit on December 2nd of this year.
“It wasn’t safe for the public to be on that second floor. There was no certificate of occupancy,” said Ross.
Klug maintained The Spot kept holding events on the second floor despite being aware it was against city ordinance. The police chief said The Spot had at least three other second floor events scheduled for after Dec. 2
Second floor operation at The Spot apparently has been an issue for quite some time.
“They’ve known about the building code for seven years,” said Ross. “We have to look at what kind of precedent we’re setting. We need to make sure this doesn’t happen again. That's where I stand.”
Councilman Mark Jantzer said he was “not willing to vote to put this organization out of business,” adding that, hopefully, a lesson is learned.
Councilman Steven Podrygula voiced opposition to what he called the “death penalty on the business.”
One of the greatest concerns was a lack of sufficient exit for a large crowd during a second-floor emergency.
“We need to take this seriously. They have been knowingly and repeatedly ignoring ordinances and building code,” stated Councilman Paul Pitner.
Council voted against revocation but agreed to a suspension of The Spot’s license for the remainder of the year. Then the council took up the issue of the renewal of The Spot’s liquor license for 2024, voting to invoke an additional 18-day penalty on the business by denying the start of the liquor license until January 19, 2024.
During the 18 days in January The Spot can continue to operate as a pool hall but cannot have any alcohol in the building. The 2024 liquor license does not include any operation on the second floor.
