As we are nearing the end of the year, let’s look back at one memorial place with a sad ending. The Stone Lounge. This bar was a favorite night spot amongst most, including myself.
On Wednesday’s, they had the infamous 2fers special where many did not want to miss. This bar was busy Wednesday’s through Saturday’s. From many different themed nights, to karaoke nights, and many different drink deals. The bar was fairly large and was almost always packed. When nights got hotter, many would sit on the patio and enjoy the weather.
The Stone Lounge got their liquor license suspended in 2017 due to underage drinking. Once their business was coming back after COVID, the theme seemed to stay reoccurring. This bar had a rep of being an underage bar.
On many nights the City of Cortland Police Department would come into the bar and give kids tickets for underage drinking or being in possession of a fraudulent ID. In October the City of Cortland Police Department, the New York State Liquor Authority, and the Department of Motor Vehicles raided The Stone Lounge for underage drinking. This resulted in 81 appearance tickets out of 94 people in the bar.
After this raid the bar lost their liquor license resulting in having to shut down. As this left many sad, the 81 students had to deal with the consequences of underage drinking and using a fraudulent ID with going to court and the student conduct offices to determine their punishment.
The owners of the bar got multiple violations of the Alcohol Beverage Control Law. These fines could be up to $10,000 per violation.
Later on in the months following, The Stone Lounge sent letters to the underage individuals threatening them a lawsuit if they do not pay $10,000 each. Nothing has come out continuing this case, but however, getting a lawyer to fight this or paying the $10,000 is not easy money for any college student to have.
The Stone Lounge has got their liquor license taken twice in over 5 years. I know within my time at SUNY Cortland I will not see this bar reopen but I’m curious in the near future if it will ever and if they will change their ways in letting underage students in.