Pearl River, NY – The New York State Liquor Authority has suspended the liquor license of Hudson West Sports Bar LLC in Pearl River following an investigation in which authorities allege dozens of underage patrons were inside the establishment and alcohol was sold to minors. The emergency suspension took effect Aug. 14 and prohibits the sale or consumption of alcohol at the business while the suspension remains in place.
Hudson West Sports Bar is located at 50 East Central Avenue in downtown Pearl River. The State Liquor Authority, known as the SLA, said the suspension followed a joint enforcement operation conducted Aug. 7 by the agency’s Enforcement Bureau, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the Orangetown Police Department.
According to the SLA, investigators estimated that approximately 70 to 100 patrons were inside the establishment during the operation. Authorities said only 12 patrons were confirmed to be 21 or older, while at least 60 were under the legal drinking age. Several of the underage patrons were 16 or 17 years old.
SLA investigators allege they directly observed bartenders selling alcoholic beverages to four minors. Investigators also obtained signed statements from 13 additional minors who said they had consumed alcohol inside the establishment.
Authorities said the business advertised another event scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. the following night, Aug. 8. At approximately 12:44 a.m. on Aug. 9, Orangetown Police responded to Hudson West for a medical emergency involving a 16-year-old girl.
According to state officials, officers found the teenager unconscious and severely intoxicated. A witness told authorities that the girl had been served multiple shots inside the establishment without identification being checked at the point of sale. She was transported to Montefiore Nyack Hospital for treatment.
The SLA subsequently charged Hudson West with multiple alleged violations of New York’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, including four counts of selling alcoholic beverages to minors and seven counts of failure to supervise.
The suspension was ordered during an Aug. 14 meeting of the SLA Full Board by Chair Lily Fan and Commissioners Edgar De Leon and John Maya. Under state law, the SLA can temporarily suspend a liquor license without a prior hearing when the agency determines that immediate action is necessary to protect public health, safety or welfare.
The emergency suspension does not constitute a final determination that the business committed the alleged violations. Hudson West is entitled to a prompt hearing before an administrative law judge and will have an opportunity to respond to the charges. The maximum potential penalty is revocation of the establishment’s liquor license.
Orangetown Police also arrested two people in connection with the Aug. 7 enforcement operation and charged them with unlawfully dealing with a child, a misdemeanor. Both were released on appearance tickets, according to authorities.
Orangetown Supervisor Teresa Kenny said the town takes allegations involving underage drinking seriously and expressed hope that the enforcement action would send a message to other establishments in the community.
The State Liquor Authority said it plans to prosecute the administrative charges against Hudson West. No hearing date had been announced as of this week.
The case remains an administrative enforcement matter, and the allegations against the establishment have not yet resulted in a final ruling by the SLA.