Anyone familiar with James Dolan - owner of the New York Rangers and the New York Knicks - knows that he is not afraid to make waves. Well, he's at it again, this time with his sights aimed at the New York State Liquor Authority.
According to a piece from
NBC New York, Dolan is considering banning alcohol sales at an upcoming Rangers game(s) in protest of increased pressure over his company's use of facial recognition software at Madison Square Garden.
It was reported that a team of lawyers who are currently suing his company was barred from attending events at MSG, which spurred an investigation from the SLA. Hence, Dolan's bold approach of just banning booze altogether.
Dolan said of the situation: The SLA is way, way beyond their skis...they're being extremely aggressive and they're saying 'We're going to take away your liquor license.' So I have a little surprise for them. What we're gonna do, right, is we're going to pick a night, maybe a Rangers game, and we're gonna shut down all the liquor and alcohol in the building."
The Rangers' owner likened the situation to something out of
The Godfather, suggesting the local government is trying to bully him into compliance via the press and backroom dealings. He suspects fans will still pack the house even if they ban the sale alcohol.
In typical Dolan fashion, he added that "they would post flyers at stations where beer is normally sold that feature a picture of State Liquor Authority CEO Sharif Kabir, which will include his email and phone number, and he would instruct fans to 'tell [Kabir] to stick to his knitting and to do what he's supposed to be doing.'"
Source:
NBC New York
