East Dundee banquet hall's liquor license at risk over noise

An East Dundee banquet hall is at risk of losing its liquor license after repeatedly violating village noise ordinances, officials say.

Club Royal B&V, at 940 Dundee Ave., has been the subject of 60 noise complaints - eight of which have resulted in citations - since owner Jaime Benitez and his family took it over in March 2015, according to documents obtained by the Daily Herald. The banquet hall was fined $1,000 last week for two violations.

Club Royal representatives are expected to appear before the liquor control commission Dec. 12 for a hearing that will determine if their liquor license should be revoked, suspended or upheld. Commissioners will assess the aggregate of complaints and violations, and will listen to testimonies from operators and witnesses before making their decision, Village President Lael Miller said.

"We try and keep an open mind. We let the facts present themselves," said Miller, who is also the liquor control commissioner. "But I need them to once and for all address how they're going to find the solution to the problem."

Noise issues at the banquet hall, which was originally a car dealership, pertain not only to the volume of the music, but also to heavy bass levels that can be felt at neighboring homes. Before Club Royal, the property operated under different ownership as Club Premier Banquets, which also had a history of noise complaints, records show.

Benitez said he was unaware of the severity of the noise issues when he signed a three-year lease last year. Since then, he said he has taken some measures to mitigate the problem, such as adding noise-absorbing pads to the walls, but a busy schedule prevented him completing more extensive upgrades to the facility.

Club Royal booked 29 events in 2015 and 82 events this year, Benitez said, and most are held on weekends.

"I know he has made some soundproofing improvements because I've seen them," Police Chief Terry Mee said. "But so far, it has not totally eliminated the problem."

Steve Ledin, who lives about 100 yards away, is one of three neighbors who regularly complain about the bass levels coming from events at the banquet hall.

He said he can often hear and feel the bass reverberating inside his home, which disrupts his family's quality of life.

"Every time I come home on a Saturday and I see that parking lot filled, my heart drops because I know what I'm in for," Ledin said. "I'm not trying to be vindictive. I'd like him to make money. I don't want to hurt anybody. But I just want quiet."

According to village documents, Club Royal received violations in July, September and October for playing a sound amplifier that disturbed the "peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring residents."

Though the banquet hall has not violated any liquor laws, Miller said any business that repeatedly fails to comply with village code may be a cause for concern.

"If they can show us they solved this problem, the issue goes away," he said.

Benitez said he plans to take advantage of a slow winter season by adding more soundproofing to the walls and ceiling, though he won't invest more money into the building until after the hearing.

He has already tried placing a new stereo system in a different spot in the banquet hall, which seems to be helping; Club Royal didn't receive any noise complaints during the three events it hosted in November.

"We have experience in banquets, and hopefully we can solve this problem and keep business going up," Benitez said. "I'd like to work with the city, I'd like to work with everybody. But I just need time to fix this problem."