Baseball teams and brewers in Hutchinson may soon have more options regarding the sale of liquor.
During the Minnesota Legislature's 2022 session, lawmakers approved, and Gov. Tim Walz signed liquor legislation that created several new licenses and regulations available to cities.
For instance, a licensed brewer that produces 7,500 barrels or fewer of malt liquor annually can be issued a license by a municipality for off-sale of up to 128 ounces per customer per day. Breweries that produce as many as 150,000 barrels annually can be given permission to sell growlers. Previously, the limit was 20,000 barrels. Cities can also issue on-sale wine and on-sale malt liquor license to baseball teams competing in a league stablished by the Minnesota Baseball Association, or to a person holding a concessions or management contract for beverage sales at a ballpark for the purposes of summer town ball games.
In light of the legislative changes, Hutchinson City Attorney Marc Sebora told the Hutchinson City Council that staff suggested two alterations to the city's liquor ordinance:
- The city will allow brewers to sell at off-sale up to 128 ounces per customer per day in packaging that complies with Minnesota state rules.
- The city will allow issuance of a wine license and/or a malt liquor license to the owner of a baseball team established by the Minnesota Baseball Association.
“It’s a great opportunity for some of our businesses to sell some more different products," he said. "And for that reason the staff is recommending that you approve this first reading and set the second reading on for the June 28 meeting.”
The Hutchinson City Council unanimously approved the first reading of the changes. Also included in the reading were changes to language and definitions in order to be more like the wording used in state statute.
