Proposal to increase liquor licenses issued creates division

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) - A proposal from Rhode Island hotel developers to expand the number of liquor licenses permitted in Newport has caused a stir.

The Boston Globe reports that the proposal is a response to the city’s four-decade cap on the number of alcohol beverage licenses it will issue.

Rich Willis, a restaurant owner in Newport, says the cap has raised the value of some licenses to upward of $400,000.

Willis says the proposal is unfair because it allows new companies to obtain licenses without having to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Supporters of the plan say the prices have made it nearly impossible for new restaurants to open in the city.

Currently, Newport has 117 alcohol-related licenses with nearly half of those set aside for restaurants.