Festus City Council members voted 6-1 Monday to advance a liquor license request from Baymont by Wyndham, formerly the Quality Inn, located at 1200 W. Gannon Drive.
Only Ward 4 Councilman Mike Cook voted against the request. Ward 3 Councilman Kevin Dennis and Mayor Sam Richards did not attend the meeting.
The hotel still must apply to the state for a liquor license permit, but needed the council approval first, said Chirag Patel, the hotel’s general manager.
Typically, liquor license requests of the council are formalities. The Baymont request was tabled at the council’s Nov. 24 meeting until council members could ask a hotel representative questions.
Council members’ concerns included that the hotel previously was in arrears in paying local tourism and state sales taxes. The council also worried about the cleanliness and condition of the building.
Patel assured them the concerns have been or are being addressed. He said he became the hotel’s general manager in August and has been working to address issues. He said he is living at the hotel.
Ward 2 Councilwoman Staci Templeton asked Patel to clarify how and to whom the Baymont would be selling liquor. She said she was concerned about potential sales to people “walking in off the streets.”
“We will be selling liquor just to the guests who are already booked or (for events),” Patel said. “We will request verification of your residency in our room, verify it in our system.”
On Tuesday, Patel said he hopes the hotel can begin selling liquor a month after it receives a state liquor license, although he does not know when that will happen.
He said the hotel has made strides in correcting prior problems, and the Baymont is not in arrears for any tax obligations.
Templeton said Patel impressed her at the council meeting, which is why she voted for the Baymont liquor license request.
Ward 1 Councilman Dave Boyer, who served as mayor pro tem for the meeting, said Patel’s responses also led him to vote for the liquor license request.
“He presented himself well as a general manager,” Boyer said. “He was sincere. We also let him know that if there were any issues, we could revoke the license.”
Cook said he believes hotel management is addressing prior problems, but he wanted some tangible way to hold it accountable if prior problems return.
“I understand they have a new general manager, and he seems sincere in turning it around,” Cook said. “But, they have the same ownership. If the general manager were to leave or move to a different position, what guarantees would we have it would continue to go in the right direction?”
Patel said the hotel recently switched to become a Baymont by Wyndham hotel after its contract with Quality Inn ended. In addition, he is working to dedicate a section of the 138-room hotel as a Days Inn. He said the plan is for 96 rooms to remain as Baymont and 42 will be Days Inn.
“We have enough rooms to have a divided franchise,” Patel said. “We understand that some customers prefer Baymont and some prefer Days Inn. I will be general manager over both sides. I’m hoping to have the Days Inn side open by February.”