BROOKINGS — The South Dakota Department of Revenue has OK’d the renewal of a liquor license used by La Cantina Restaurant inside the Brookings Inn.

“It is business as usual,” City Clerk Bonnie Foster said Monday.

The license — formally known as an on-sale convention liquor license — is held by Park Hospitality, and has been so for more than 20 years. Park Hospitality owns the Brookings Inn. The license’s renewal for 2025 was jeopardized after concerns surfaced regarding the sale of alcohol to underage customers in 2022, 2023 and earlier in 2024.

After hearing from Ray Aranda, one of the restaurant’s owners, on Nov. 26, the Brookings City Council recommended against renewing the license on a 6-1 vote, with Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer providing the single “nay” vote. At the City Council meeting on Dec. 10, councilors changed course after hearing from Lance Park, the liquor license’s holder and owner of the Brookings Inn at 2500 Sixth St. 

They voted in support of its renewal on a 6-0 vote, with Councilor Nick Wendell absent.

The state revenue department, which has the final say on liquor licenses regarding the issuance, suspension or revocation of them, agreed with the city’s change of heart.

Park outlined numerous changes being made to ease worries about past alcohol violations. These included the use of additional scanners, better signage, staff training and reminders, along with the prospect of job loss for waitstaff and the manager overseeing them if they sell to an underage customer.

Perhaps the biggest change of all, though? Half-price margaritas will no longer be offered on Thursday nights at La Cantina. Instead, a food item will be the new promotion.

— Contact Mondell Keck at mkeck@brookingsregister.com.