Utah restaurateurs say state's new digital liquor permitting could save businesses from closure

Utah alcohol regulators are finally digitizing the state's liquor licensing system, a move that merchants say is likely to save businesses from closure.

Why it matters: Many restaurants, bars and other businesses have closed over the years because mail delays led to missed licensing deadlines under Utah's famously strict liquor laws, said Michele Corigliano, head of the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association.

• "It used to happen all the time," Corigliano told Axios. "Owners were petrified."

The latest: The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services unveiled the new system Thursday, just in time for 1,200 Utah restaurants and event venues to file for license renewals before the annual Sept. 30 deadline.

What they're saying: "I've heard of businesses being devastated by losing a permit from a simple clerical error or a lost package," Cade Campbell, manager of Flanigan's Resort in Springdale, said in a news conference.

• Campbell said he's driven more than four hours from Springdale to hand-deliver paperwork because "it eliminated one possible way to lose the license."

Threat level: Once lost, a liquor license can be nearly impossible for a business to get back, so securing renewals is crucial, Corigliano said.

• Liquor licenses for bars and restaurants are tightly limited by lawmakers, and demand is high.

The big picture: The upgrade is part of a yearslong effort to rehabilitate the state's alcohol enforcement agency, historically reviled by drinkers and businesses alike.

• Under new leadership, DABS has improved several of the 50-plus liquor stores under the state's monopoly, and business owners say they are encountering far fewer problems in getting products to customers.