Supreme Court rules in favor of club owner
MADISON--The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Thursday in favor of a Hanover man who owns a Wisconsin Dells adult nightclub, affirming that municipalities must give due process when modifying liquor licenses.
The ruling gives clarity to licensing laws in the state, particularly for venues such as resorts or golf courses, officials from the Wisconsin Tavern League have said.
The case centers around the description of the property on the liquor license held by Wisconsin Dolls, a strip club near the Wisconsin Dells owned by Jim Halbach of Hanover.
The town of Dell Prairie issued a license to the club in 2004, and the license was renewed until 2009.
At that time, a new town clerk noticed the license was for all eight acres of the club’s property. The town in 2009 decided the license was too vague and needed to be amended.
Halbach did not think the town had the authority to do so and sought review from Adams County Court.
Halbach formerly owned a strip club in Janesville and still owns Diamond Jim’s Isabella Queen strip club at Highway 51 and Townline Road.
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