Hotel California liquor license in limbo

September 8, 2014 at 9:56p.m.

AUSTINTOWN

Hotel California’s fight for a liquor license took some strong jabs Monday night from officials and residents who can’t forget the building’s past as a strip club and law enforcement headache.

Township trustees, a Mahoining County commissioner and residents, plus workers at the 1051 N. Canfield-Niles Road hotel, debated at Monday’s trustee meeting.

Hotel California is owned by Sebastian Rucci and is where Rucci’s previous topless dance club, Go Go Girls Cabaret, closed in September 2011.

The venture is just up state Route 46 from the soon-to-open Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course which will serve liquor.

But the hotel’s liquor license, under the name of Atty. James Vitullo, a business partner of Rucci, had two objections filed against it — from the county and township trustees. That matter was set to go before a Ohio Division of Liquor Control hearing Monday, but was delayed by the township.

Matt Mullins, a liquor control spokesman, said he expects it to happen near the end of this month or the beginning of October.

Speaking in support of the hotel and liquor license were Dave Robich, owner of the Funny Farm comedy club, which recently moved to the hotel; and John Batcho, entertainment director of the hotel’s music division.

Those who spoke against were township Trustee Jim Davis, Mahoning County Commissioner David Ditzler — an Austintown trustee when the Go Go was open; and two residents.

“Sebastian Rucci hurt Sebastian Rucci and brought this upon himself, to have his liquor license brought into question,” Davis said. Rucci did not attend the meeting.