43
Hotel California now awaits decision on liquor license
RELATED: Rucci facing lawsuit from former Go Go operator
By ROBERT CONNELLY
YOUNGSTOWN
Vindy Talk Radio Nov. 7, 2014 - Austintown Trustee Jim Davis
Podcast Episode
Austintown Trustee Jim Davis joins Louie in the studio to discuss the liquor permit hearing for Hotel California in Austintown and more.
Written closing statements will be filed next week, and a decision is to come in the next few weeks on whether Hotel California will receive a liquor license.
Sebastian Rucci, owner of the Austintown hotel, was not called as a witness by either of the attorneys representing Atty. James Vitullo, whose company, Vitullo Investments LLC, filed the liquor application for the hotel; or Mahoning County assistant prosecutors representing Austintown Township and the county commissioners — who both filed an objection to the permit.
Rucci said after Friday’s hearing that he was pleased he wasn’t called. “I am a lightning rod in many ways. I appreciate not being called,” he said.
The application is for Club Cali, the restaurant to operate within the hotel at the same spot as the former Go Go Cabaret.
Assistant prosecutors Dawn Durkin and Gina Bricker again spoke about the address swapping for 5455 Clarkins Drive and 1051 N. Canfield-Niles Road. The correct address will be determined by state liquor-control officials.
Vitullo was the only witness called by his lawyers to talk about the facility. “I’m not going to do anything until I get a [liquor] license,” Vitullo said during his testimony Friday.
Though Vitullo said he doesn’t have much experience with restaurants personally, he mentioned family members who are involved with food establishments in Mahoning County that he could call on for advice and guidance.
When prosecutors began to question how specific operations were set up — such as the relationship between the Funny Farm comedy club run by owner Dave Robich and Vitullo and Club Cali — Vitullo said their space overlaps.
Prosecutors called several Austintown Township officials Friday, including township zoning inspector Darren Crivelli and a fire-department safety inspector.
“In my opinion, [Rucci] is the architect of the Hotel California concept,” Crivelli said.
The main focus of Crivelli’s appearance was the fact that Rucci has said he would be willing to open without liquor, but the preferred option is to have liquor.
The Austintown Fire Department has had issues with the fire-alarm system, specifically on the fourth floor. Rucci said earlier this week that the fourth floor is being finished, and once that is completed, he would begin the new inspection process.
Both attorneys opted to file written closing remarks that will be due Friday.
James Bally, who presided over the matter and is an attorney with the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control, will make a recommendation to the superintendent of the state liquor control, and the superintendent will make a decision.
“It’s going to be a few weeks,” he said. “We’ll move it along as fast as we can.”
Over the two days, prosecutors focused on the Go Go’s history, the address switch and recent issues with Rucci such as the occupancy permit. Attorneys Dave Raber and Jeff Kurz, representing Vitullo, focused on how the Go Go is in the past and how the license now is under Vitullo.
“It’s actually Sebastian Rucci applying for the liquor permit, and he is using Vitullo Investments and Jim Vitullo as a front, as he has done in the past,” Bricker said after Friday’s hearing.
“We’re still ranting and raving about stuff that’s five, six years old — which is terrible,” Rucci said.
While there is no set opening date for Hotel California, Rucci said afterward that some final work needs to be done such as laying down carpet on the recently finished fourth floor.