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Report on Economic Development Ramifications of BYOB Ordinance

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Report on Economic Development ramifications of BYOB Ordinance as approved by the Groton Town Council. By Michael Whitehouse Respectfully submitted September 3rd, 2018 Summary The BYOB Ordinance as approved by the Groton Town Council will have negative effects on economic development in four areas: The likely closure of a locally owned business and loss of late night entertainment Town reputation and business recruitment Events, conference, and special events Loss of downstream economic activity From an economic development standpoint, there are no clear benefit to this ordinance. On September 12th, 2018, the RTM will consider vetoing this ordinance. A veto requires a ⅔ vote of members in attendance to pass. Purpose and Background I became interested in the ramifications of this ordinance based on my considerable experience as an event organizer. On countless occasions, organizations I have worked with have suffered economic losses or elected not to
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Eight Specific Objections to The Ordinance

The following letter by Michael Whitehouse was shared with members of the Representative Town Meeting on September 3rd, 2018 Fellow Representatives, I would like to share with you some information which I have acquired in researching the BYOB Ordinance. Background Prior to doing this research, I had no personal interest in this issue. In all of my time in Groton, I have not participated in any activities that would have been affected by this ordinance, nor did I know anyone personally whose business would have been affected by this ordinance. My interest in this ordinance was purely as a Representative and a citizen of Groton. During the course of this research, I have spoken with Town Councilors Heede, Franco, and Obrey, Mayor Granatosky, Police Chief Fusaro, Economic Development Chair Young, Midnight Hookah owner Hassam Abudawood, various Midnight Hookah staff and customers, staff at Henny Penny, Gulf Express on Route 12, The Groton Townhouse Restaurant, as well as an assor
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What's a Midnight Hookah?

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The Town Council has been adamant that their BYOB ordinance  is not intended for and will not result in the closure of any business. How can this be when the we have so many letters, including one from the owner Hassam Abudawood declaring that this will close his business. It is possible that you, like the Town Council, may also be confused by how a 1 AM curfew on alcohol consumption would be so devastating to a business that doesn't make its money from alcohol. To understand this, it is vital to understand the actual nature of this business. Knowing little about this culture or business, I spent twelve hours at Midnight Hookah over two nights, from 10 PM to 4 AM on consecutive evenings. Below is a summary of the business model from a combination of direct observations and conversations with staff and patrons. Midnight Hookah's hours are posted at 6 PM to 2 AM Sunday through Thursday and 6 PM to 4 AM on Friday and Saturday. However, nearly all of their business oc
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Letter from Samy Faraj

Received August 18th, 2018 Good afternoon, Last Tuesday, a vote to impose an ordinance regarding B.Y.O.B stores and cafes in the Groton area took place. There was a majority supporting that places with B.Y.O.B licenses stop allowing the serving/drinking of alcohol at 1:00 am. As a former employee at the  Midnight   Hookah  Lounge, I believe that this ordinance will hinder the store's business as many of our customers come late at night. The store offers a secure area for people to gather on the weekends. We have three professional and experienced security guards and have had no problems with the town. Hossam AbuDawood, owner of the store, has always followed the law to the book and has taken every measure to provide this fun and safe place for the town of Groton. Mr.AbuDawood is also present at the store during all operating hours. Moreover, police are and have always been welcome to pass by the store. The store's doors are always open to the sheriff and to the town
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Letter from Hossam Abudawood - Owner of Midnight Hookah

Hossam Abudawood =============== Groton, CT  06340 Representative Town Meeting Groton Town Hall 45 Fort Hill Road Groton, CT 06340 August 15th, 2018 Dear Representative Town Meeting Members, Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hossam Abudawood, and I am the owner of  Midnight   Hookah  at 403 Pleasant Valley Road in Groton. I am writing to ask you to veto the “BYOB Ordinance” because it will be very damaging to my business. I will probably need to close the business if the ordinance passes. Since we opened this winter, I have worked very hard to create a safe, fun place where people can get together and have a good time. Our customers include Electric Boat employees, many Navy sailors, casino workers, waiters, bartenders, local business owners, and at least one state trooper. I have been diligent in working with the town to get all proper permits and authorizations at every step of my business. While we had some trouble with a few people w
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Letter from Khalid Habbab to the RTM

Received  Monday, August 20th Hello, My name is Khalid Habbab, I reside at =========== in Groton and work at Electric Boat. I'm contacting you regarding the B.Y.O.B. ordinance.  I visit Midnight Hookah Lounge every weekend, which is a great place to hang out after bars/restaurants hours. With this ordinance I will not be able to visit the place with friends and co-workers and have to drive further away to other cities such as Hartford or Providence. Midnight Hookah Lounge is a convenient place since it is located in Groton, so I would urge not to pass this ordinance. Thank you for understanding. 
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Letter from Ahmad Faraj to the RTM

Received  Wednesday, August 15th Good Evening, My name is Ahmad Faraj and I have been a Groton resident for the past four years. After long weeks at work i always look forward to going to the Midnight Hookah Lounge on the weekends. The lounge has been the go to place for me and my friends ever since its inception. The owner is respectful and the security guards make sure no problems occur. Moreover, this is one of the only late night spots in Groton. I believe it would be unfair if the new B.Y.O.B  ordinance hindered the lounge's growing business. I hope that the ordinance can be vetoed by the Representatives at the town meeting to help this business stay afloat Thank you, Ahmad
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