Schererville booze bill defeated at session's end

A bill granting eight new liquor licenses for restaurants at two proposed shopping centers in Schererville was modified on the last day of the General Assembly.

Whereas earlier versions specifically talked about Schererville and its licenses, the proposal was amended Sunday to allow any municipalities around the state to apply to the state Alcoholic Beverage Commission for eight additional liquor licenses in order to benefit an economic development project with a budget over $25 million.

The licenses would have been available at public auction, for no less than $50,000 each.

Rep. Dan Stevenson, D-Highland, said he was worried that without the licenses, the projects could be dead.

"These developers might not wait around for another year," he said. "This could be a deal-breaker."

Developers Precision and Regency Center have announced plans to build shopping centers in Schererville. Both companies said restaurants with liquor licenses were essential to attracting retailers to the projects.

Estimates have put the economic windfall to the area if the malls were built at about $200 million.