Council turns down theater’s request to serve alcohol

Drinking beer Drinking beer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Council turns down theater’s request to serve alcohol 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The Midland City Council decided 5-to-2 to turn down the Regal Tall City Stadium 14’s request to sell “all alcoholic beverages, for on-premises consumption.”

The decision changes course from the first reading when the council voted 5-2 to approve the request. Those voting against the selling of alcohol were Mayor Jerry Morales, J.Ross Lacy, John Love III, Sharla Hotchkiss and Jeff Sparks. Hotchkiss and Sparks had also voted against alcohol permit on first reading.

Council members who changed their minds between the first and second readings said they received emails and phone calls asking them to vote no on second reading. They also said they wanted a theater with a family- friendly environment. Cinergy Cinema in Midland has always sold alcohol since opening, and allowing Regal to change its business plan and sell alcohol would have left the community without a theater that doesn’t sell alcohol.