Limited Liquor Sales In NJ Being Put To The Test
By David Madden
MOORESTOWN, N.J. (CBS) - The battle over booze in Moorestown returns to New Jersey Superior Court later this week as a business seeks to expand the scope of alcohol sales approved by voters last year.
Voters lifted a nearly century-long ban on liquor sales, but only for an enclosed shopping mall along Route 38, the Moorestown Mall, where owners have already put in million dollar bids for four proposed liquor licenses.
The mall's next door neighbors, the East Gate Shopping Center, want in as well. Their argument is the only difference between the two is the design of the place.
"We feel the law, as drafted, is somewhat discriminatory and unfair to other property owners who are located within the same zone as the mall and essentially have the same type of properties except they don't have a shopping 'mall'. They have a shopping 'center' layout," said Craig Huber, who represents the East Gate Shopping Center.
A hearing is scheduled Thursday to consider whether the newly approved ordinance is unduly restrictive.
East Gate has also entered a million dollar bid for a liquor license and Moorestown is awaiting the result of this hearing before deciding on any of them.
