New York's State Liquor Authority has started proceedings that could cost Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and the Beacon Theater their liquor licenses over the use of facial recognition software to ban attorneys who are involved in litigation against the venues or their owner, James Dolan.
The agency has levied administrative charges against venues operated by Dolan's corporate entity, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.; and if the push is successful, that will mean no liquor sales at sporting events or performances, reports the New York Post.
The violations, which are only now being publicly reported, were received by Dolan through certified mail on Feb. 21, and the SLA is demanding a plea from the properties by March 15.
Saturday, Dolan filed a petition through Manhattan Supreme Court asking that the violations be stopped and accused the SLA of "abuse of power."
"This gangster-like governmental organization has finally run up against an entity that won't cower in the face of their outrageous abuses," he told the Post. "While others that have been subject to this harassment may have been forced into submission or silence, we are taking a stand on behalf of our fans and the many small businesses who have long been subject to the SLA's corruption.”
His company said in its filing that the potential ban harms not only the venues but fans, "who will be deprived" if alcohol can't be served.
The action comes after MSG Entertainment used the facial recognition software at least four times to block attorneys who work for law firms that have active lawsuits against the company, even if the lawyers aren't working directly in the cases.
MSG Entertainment is defending its policy, saying in a statement that it has instituted a "straightforward policy" that does not allow attorneys from firms that are pursuing active litigation against the company to attend events at its venues.
The first reported incident came when attorney Barbara Hart and her husband were kicked out of their seats at Madison Square Garden in October, where they went to see a concert by singer Brandi Carlile while celebrating their wedding anniversary.
In December, attorney Kelly Conlon was ejected from Radio City Music Hall, where she'd gone to see the Rockettes with her daughters' Girl Scout troop. Her name had been part of an "attorney exclusion list" compiled by MSG, but she said she doesn't practice in New York or have any cases against MSG.
In the other cases, a Long Island attorney was kicked out of a Knicks game in November and a personal injury attorney from Brooklyn told the Post that he was denied a seat at a Rangers game on Jan. 19, even though he wasn't directly involved in any lawsuits involving MSG and his employer.
Dolan in January threatened to cut off the beer taps at a New York Rangers Game at the Garden, warning that he'd send fans to SLA CEO Sharif Kabir to complain.
The SLA, while levying the charges, said the policy of targeting attorneys means the MSG properties aren't open to the public, but liquor licensing rules require venues to available to the public at large.
But MSG, in its filing Saturday, argued that many bars and nightclubs "exclude patrons who do not meet certain dress codes, display a certain 'vibe' or 'energy,' act in a certain manner, arrive in a large group of a certain gender, or even have certain skin colors."
It also alleged firms connected with the banned attorneys are involved in the SLA action, which at least one firm has denied, the Post reports.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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