Casino Owner To Confront Liquor Violations

One of the owners of a popular Spokane casino will meet next month with the enforcement chief for the Liquor Control Board to discuss four liquor violations.

The board’s staff is recommending revocation of the state liquor license for chronic overservice to drunken patrons at the Mars Hotel and Casino.

Hearings on four separate liquor law violations, three involving overservice, were to have been held this week in Spokane before a state administrative law judge.

But Robert Saucier, the chairman and chief executive for the Mars Hotel and Casino, was granted a postponement of the revocation hearing.

Liquor Board spokesman Greg Nordlund said the mediation hearing will be held Dec. 12 at the board’s office in Olympia.

The board will be represented by Gary Gilbert, its chief enforcement officer.

State liquor laws allow a licensee to meet with Liquor Control Board representatives in an attempt to reach a compromise on alleged violations.

If a compromise isn’t reached, the violations are then heard by an administrative law judge.

The city of Spokane also is opposing renewal of the liquor license for the Mars because the casino owes the city more than $80,000 in unpaid gambling taxes.

, DataTimes