Politics & Government

Chuck E. Cheese Surrenders Liquor License

Corporate representatives from popular children's spot voluntarily turn in liquor license at hearing with Oak Lawn village officials.


By CELINA VEGA

Officials from CEC Entertainment, the parent company of Chuck E. Cheese family dining restaurants, surrendered its village liquor license during a meeting of the Oak Lawn Liquor License Commission at village hall on Tuesday.

CEC’s attorney, Vincent Vigil, and the Irving, TX, company’s director of licensing Debbi Shannon, voluntarily relinquished the Oak Lawn location’s liquor license after meeting the Oak Lawn Police Department’s attorney, Matt Walsh.

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“I had a chance to work with the licensee and we reached a voluntary agreement, Walsh told village officials.

The surrender of the liquor license comes on the heels of an adult fracas that broke out inside the restaurant at 4031 W. 95th St. on May 18, resulting in the arrests of four men who were subsequently charged for disorderly conduct.

Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Oak Lawn police officers working off-duty as security guards were able to quickly contain the situation and bring in uniformed officers to quell the disturbance, according to an Oak Lawn police report.

Part of the disturbance was captured on an exclusive Patch video.

In a letter to the village from last week, CEC executives said that while their own internal investigation revealed that alcohol did not play a role in the May 18 incident, they were willing to give up their village liquor license in order to continue operating in Oak Lawn.

Mayor Sandra Bury, serving in her role as the village liquor license commissioner, accepted the surrendered license during Tuesday’s meeting.

There have been multiple past incidents at the Chuck E Cheese in Oak Lawn requiring police intervention.

 “I have an extensive file of activity on that location… I’m pleased their eagerness to meet with our police chief and [Tr. Terry Vorderer],” Bury said. “I think it’s a move in the right direction because we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can for the safety of our community and our children especially.”

CEC Entertainment’s attorney declined making a statement.


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