Bottoms up! Bars and restaurants across Greater Cleveland are applying to stay open until 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention, an hour and a half later than state liquor permits allow.
Bars and restaurants applied to stay open late through a "Major Event" waiver.
This waiver applies to Cuyahoga and surrounding counties July 17 through July 21.
Cabin Club is one of 14 businesses in Westlake applying for the extended hours.
"We're able to stay open till 4 o'clock, facilitate some of the later night activities," Chris Oppewall, with Hospitality Restaurants, said.
Oppewall said it's about accommodating the 50,000 people expected to travel to Northeast Ohio for the convention.
"We wanna make sure we have the longer liquor license so if someone is starting dinner at 11 or 12 o'clock, there's not that cut off time," he said.
The Mayor of Westlake, Dennis Clough, told newsnet5.com he plans on approving all 14 waivers in the city.
"We don't have any concerns with any of the restaurants that have asked to stay open till 4," Clough said.
Clough said he'll work closely with Westlake police and fire to make sure the later last call doesn't mean problems on the roads.
"We'll have all of our policemen on call! I don't think we are going to let anyone off that week!" he said.
Cities on the east side of Cleveland, like Beachwood, also plan to take advantage of extended hours according to their mayor, Merle Gorden.
"We see it as a benefit to the restaurants, we see it as a benefit to employees working there," Gorden said.
Gorden added, "It's not just about throwing a couple back into the wee hours, it's about showing visitors the liveliness the Cleveland area has to offer."
"It's good for greater Cleveland! It's going to make us shine internationally," he said.
