Buffalo Wild Wings will not be expanding next door after the East Lansing City Council voted 2-2 Tuesday night to deny the business’ growth.
The restaurant, 360 Albert Ave., was looking to add 60 seats to its capacity of 275 during regular business hours, and roughly 111 seats in the new space during special banquets and parties.
“My problem is a continuing feeling that we have to regulate the number of seats serving alcohol downtown,” Mayor Mark Meadows said. “I just don’t think there’s a way we could regulate occupancy after midnight.”
The extra space would have added 2,150 square-feet to the establishment, which is currently 7,025 square-feet in size.
“Our main complaint we get is people can’t get a table to eat at,” East Lansing Buffalo Wild Wings owner Kent Ward said. “We do have a lot of people who come in, can’t get a table and have to stand up and eat.”
New space would have been used to seat customers during peak hours, such as dinner time, during athletic events and during downtown festivals, Ward said.
St. Johns resident Virgil Kemp said he comes to the East Lansing bar and grill every week with friends and has been forced to go to other establishments because of long lines.
“As far as I’m concerned, this is one of the best places that checks IDs and you never have to worry about a fight,” Kemp said to the council.
But the council still did not allow Ward to expand his business.
Councilmember Vic Loomis was in favor and said he trusted the management.
“There’s a saying in the business ‘location, location, location,” Loomis said. “In this instance, it’s about management, management, management. I think we want businesses to come into our downtown, owned by local entrepreneurs, and expand.”
Some feel the council’s decision might have been influenced by a report issued last month by the Responsible Hospitality Council.
The report stated the number of seats being served alcohol downtown should be watched closely because of problems associated with competition and alcohol abuse.
But Ward said he feels the Responsible Hospitality Council’s report has exceeded its original intention, which was finding ways to curb alcohol abuse.
“I feel that’s (the report) in the interest of the bar owners,” he said. “It doesn’t help the issues it was originally set to do.”
