VIRGINIA BEACH (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Thirsty fans at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Virginia beach may have to settle for non-alcoholic beverages for a while, if the state's ABC board has it's way.
At a March hearing, venue operator Aramark Entertainment has had its license to sell alcoholic beverages at the venue suspended after the Alcoholic Beverage Commission determined that the Amphitheater has become a place where frequent underage drinking and drug use occurs.
The charges stem from a number of underage drinking violations that occurred at the amphitheater in October 2006. The issue was compounded by a number of drug arrests for marijuana possession that occurred at the venue. Another violation occurred during a Kenny Chesney concert that was being sponsored in part, but Cruzan rum products. Although the venue was not properly licensed to carry the rum, they reportedly obtained 20 bottles for a private party being held for employees. An alert ABC store employee notified alcohol enforcement agents who inspected the amphitheater and discovered the illicit booze.
After a two-day hearing, the venue was found to be in violation of liquor regulations and a license suspension of 30 days was ordered. The venue may appeal this suspension or shorten the term of the suspension to ten days by paying 3,000. Aramark has 30 days to appeal the ruling but has not made any moves in this direction, according to a spokesperson for the Commission.
While the liquor charges were supported by the evidentiary record, the charges that the venue had become a place were drug traffickers frequented was not, according to the ABC, supported by the facts of the case and was dismissed. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
