[Southsider2k12]

http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...86684533221.txt

Arnolds sell share in Harbor Grill

Published: Thursday, February 11, 2010 4:18 AM CST
MICHIGAN CITY — Ed and Deb Arnold, owners of Harbor Grill, now under investigation by the Michigan City Redevelopment Commission, sent an e-mail to The News-Dispatch on Wednesday saying they sold their stake in the restaurant.

“The new team is getting the restaurant ready to reopen,” Ed Arnold said in the e-mail.

Harbor Grill, located in Washington Park, received a new liquor license as part of an agreement with the Redevelopment Commission to remain open at least 330 days a year. The commission began investigating whether the restaurant has been closed too many days. It has not been open since New Year’s Day.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...6d023809549.txt

Harbor Grill may have violated license

By Matt Field
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 4:17 AM CST
MICHIGAN CITY ­— The city body overseeing the redevelopment of the Riverfront District along Trail Creek will investigate whether a restaurant that received one of the new liquor licenses the city has issued in the district has violated the terms of an agreement to remain open for at least 330 days a year.

Harbor Grill, a restaurant in the district, has been shuttered since New Year’s Day, potentially putting its owner in violation of the agreement he signed with the Michigan City Redevelopment Commission, said Ken Behrendt, the president of the commission. Michael Bergerson, the lawyer for the commission, will report back with his findings next month.

Bergerson said the commission may eventually recommend the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, the state body that governs liquor licenses, revoke or not renew the restaurant’s license. He said that Harbor Grill was the first restaurant to apply for a new liquor license in the Riverfront District, although other existing businesses already have them. He said there is no predetermined number of licenses the city will have issued.

An answering machine message at Harbor Grill says that the restaurant is closed for a winter vacation. According to its Web site, www.harborgrill.net, the restaurant will be closed through February.

A spokesman for the Michigan City Tavern Association said the commission seemed to be taking the right steps in the matter. John Sheets came to Monday’s commission meeting to share his concerns about Harbor Grill. Before he spoke to the meeting, however, the commission had already brought up the matter.

“They answered one of our questions: Are you guys policing it the way they’re are supposed to?” Sheets said. “It sounds like they are.”

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...91175254238.txt

Misunderstanding linked to outdated document

By Matt Field
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 4:17 AM CST
MICHIGAN CITY — Back in February, the spokesman for a local bar owner’s group told the Redevelopment Commission a restaurant issued a liquor license as part of an agreement it stay open year-round was not living up to its end of the deal.

Indeed, according to the Redevelopment Commission’s Web site, recipients of liquor licenses in the Trail Creek Riverfront District need to be open 330 days a year.

Seems there was a bit of a misunderstanding.

While the Redevelopment Commission initiated an investigation in February into the restaurant, Harbor Grill, it did not make clear that restaurants in the district actually could be closed for 45 days.

Redevelopment Commission President Ken Behrendt said the rules for recipients had not been updated since being amended.

“The document had been amended, but the amendment hadn’t been incorporated into the document,” he said.

Mike Bergerson, the commission’s attorney, also conducted the investigation into Harbor Grill. He said the rules were amended in March 2008.

Bergerson closed his investigation, concluding Harbor Grill did not violate its agreement to remain open for at least 320 days.

He said the board will ask for regular payroll reports from the owner of the restaurant, which now is called Giorgettis, to make sure it is staying open the required number of days.

The city included the 45-day clause in the agreement to encourage year around business in the Riverfront District.