Cinemark seeks liquor license for Joliet theater

The Cinemark movie theater at the Louis Joliet Mall is making arrangements so serve alcoholic drinks to customers.

Cinemark has applied for a liquor license, which will be considered at a hearing on Wednesday.

A number of movie theaters serve alcohol, including the AMC Showplace theater in New Lenox and the iPic Theater in Bolingbrook.

Deputy Liquor Commissioner Jim Greenan said the city's building department needs more information before approving permits for liquor operations at the Joliet theater. But the liquor commissioner will go ahead with the hearing on a liquor license at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday.

The liquor license ultimately would have to be approved by the city council.

Greenan said Cinemark will need to satisfy the building department requirements before the license is presented to the council for approval.

The council also will need to approve a change in the city liquor code to allow alcoholic beverages to be sold in movie theaters. The matter was considered last week by the council's Land Use and Legislative Committee, which unanimously recommended approval of liquor code changes that includes the provision for movie theaters.

Cinemark is seeking a Class B license, which is for the sale of liquor consumption on premises only.

The license is one of three that the liquor commission will consider at public hearing on Wednesday. El Dorado Banquet Hall at 1399 Plainfield Road also is seeking a Class B license for consumption on premises.

Joliet Petroleum Inc., which operates the BP station that includes liquor sales at 1415 Plainfield Road, is seeking approval of a license transfer at a 9:30 a.m. hearing on its Class C license for package goods sales only.