ASSEMBLY TOURISM, GAMING AND THE ARTS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, No. 3848

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 23, 2025

      The Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee reports favorably Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 3848.

      This committee substitute concerns the sale of alcoholic beverages at sporting facilities.  Under current law, the holder of a sporting facility license may sell or serve alcoholic beverages on the premises of the sporting facility, which is defined in part as a stadium, arena, team training facility, or similar venue located on public property.  Current law also allows the holder of a sporting facility license to establish an all-inclusive area within the licensed sporting facility, provided the all-inclusive area is limited to one area within the sporting facility for each game or event and the capacity of the all-inclusive area does not exceed 500 persons.

      This committee substitute allows the holder of a sporting facility license to establish up to five all-inclusive areas within the licensed sporting facility, provided the total capacity of the all-inclusive area or areas within the sporting facility for each game or event does not exceed more than 500 persons or five percent of the total capacity of the sporting facility.

      Under the committee substitute, the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) may, pursuant to regulation or special ruling, issue special all-inclusive area event permits authorizing the establishment of an all-inclusive area or areas in excess of the substitute’s limitations for a “national or international sporting event” at a sporting facility with a seating capacity of 50,000 or more persons in a manner consistent with current law.  The committee substitute defines “national or international sporting event” as a tournament-level professional event governed by a national or international sports federation or governing body, including but not limited to sporting events governed by the National Football League, International Olympic Committee, and the International Federation of Association Football. The event permit would be valid for the duration of the event and the fee would be $2,000 per day for each all-inclusive area established, but the total fee is not to exceed $6,000 per day.  The committee substitute allows the Director of ABC to require the holder of a sporting facility license to provide a bond or equivalent to the ABC in an amount determined by the director based on the size, scope, and conditions of the national or international sporting event and the compliance history of the licensee.

      As reported by the committee, Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 3848 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 5007 (1R) as amended and reported by the committee on this date.