It’s 4 a.m., and it’s finally last call.
About 20 Summit County establishments have received waivers from the state to serve alcohol until as late as 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention this July in Cleveland. That’s 90 minutes after state liquor permits allow.
Those getting the so-called “major event waivers” include a few downtown Akron restaurants and bars, as well as various spots in suburban locales.
“We’ll probably do some Republican-themed drink specials,” said Zack Hirt, executive chef and co-owner of Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar at Mill and High streets in downtown Akron.
“A Pink Elephant or something, I don’t know.”
A new state statute — inspired by the RNC — allows select bars and restaurants to serve booze until 4 a.m. during “major events.”
Businesses with liquor permits in Cuyahoga County and adjoining counties — including Summit, Medina and Portage— were eligible to apply for a waiver that allows them to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. during big events like the RNC.
The waivers run from July 17 through July21.
The Ohio Department of Liquor Control sent out waiver approvals this week. The deadline to apply for a waiver was March 21.
In Cleveland — where the convention is expected to attract more than 50,000 visitors — more than 240 establishments applied for waivers. Information on which places in that city received waivers wasn’t immediately available Friday. (A list of the Cleveland applicants created by the city of Cleveland is available at http://bit.ly/1UqNItv.)
Among the Cleveland establishments that applied is the not-yet-open Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar on downtown Cleveland’s lakefront. This Nuevo, built near the end of the East Ninth Street Pier, will get a workout hosting private events during the convention.
Establishments receiving waivers in Summit County include six of the hotels that are expected to house convention delegates, media personnel, vendors or others in town for the event.
Convention-related guests are expected to generate roughly 15,000 room nights at Summit County hotels — not just those receiving waivers, according to Gregg Mervis, president and chief executive officer of the Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau.
About 70 percent of rooms in Summit County full-service and limited-service hotels — such as Hampton Inns and Residence Inns — have been booked for use by convention-related guests.
The bureau itself has received waivers allowing it to serve into the wee hours at the John S. Knight convention center downtown and across Mill Street at the city-owned Greystone Hall, which the bureau operates.
There are no convention-related events scheduled for either place yet, Mervis said, explaining that groups are still making plans for where they will stay.
The area’s chain of Brubaker’s Pubs has received waivers for five of its six locations.
“By the time [those at the convention] leave the festivities and get out of the traffic, we’ll still be open and gracious and ready to serve them,” said Carol Magazzeni, head of marketing for Brubakers Pubs LP.
Magazzeni expects people who have nothing to do with the convention to take advantage of the later hours.
“I would imagine maybe there will be some good political rhetoric that goes back and forth,” she said.
“I have a feeling we’ll have some fun with it,” Magazzeni said when asked if Brubaker’s was going to get creative with drinks and eats for the occasion.
Six of the waivers in Summit went to various sites at the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park.
Earlier this year, liquor permit holders sent their waiver applications to the city, village or township in which their business is located. The local officials then decided which permit holders to include on lists that were sent before May 18 to the state, which then had final say. The state didn’t reject any applications it received from Summit.
Medina and Portage counties each had a total of five waivers granted.
Owners of some establishments have said they were unaware of the waivers.
Qualifying major events are those in Cleveland or Columbus that are expected to attract at least 3,000 visitors. The event has to last at least one day and not more than 10 days.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. You can follow her @KatieByardABJ on Twitter.