Last Call: City Officials Push for Earlier Bar Closing Time

Once more, with feeling. 

Expressing a desire to alter bar closing times in Saratoga Springs, the council took steps this week to attempt to fulfill that goal. And while It is an effort that the city has expressed numerous times in the past, the ultimate outcome this time around may be different. 

“This is something that has been debated in the city for at least 10 years and it’s been difficult to get Saratoga County to move on the issue,” said Supervisor Matt Veitch, who represents the city at the county level, and is also vice chairperson of the county supervisor board. 

“The time is right for this to be discussed with my fellow colleagues on the Board of Supervisors. I believe we will have some momentum on this moving forward in 2025,” he said.

Currently, the New York State Alcoholic Beverage Control Law prohibits sales of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption in Saratoga County between the hours of 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday, and between the hours of 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. on any other day. 

Bar closing times can only be changed by a county resolution to the State Liquor Authority, meaning the city on its own cannot affect bar closing times, Veitch clarified. “You need the county support for that.”

How the process works: the city will send is resolution – which it unanimously approved Feb. 4 – to the county. The county Board of Supervisors will consider it, and if the board agrees it will then forward their recommendation to the N.Y.S. Liquor Authority.  The SLA has the ultimate authority to decide the matter, which will affect bar closing times countywide. 

 “I’ve been having discussions with other (county) supervisors and I think there’s an openness now to discuss bar closing times,” Veitch told the City Council during its Feb. 4 meeting. “It will definitely be earlier than (the current) 4 a.m.,” Veitch said. “I’m not sure exactly what the final debate will be at the county level, but it won’t be a blanket 2 a.m. year-round…I think one thing that will remain 4 a.m. is New Year’s Eve, but other than that it will be earlier.” 

“From a public safety perspective, the Saratoga Springs command staff – the police department supports the earlier closing times,” said Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll.  “To reduce the hours with earlier closing times has the potential for us to reduce overtime as well as to keep officers safer,” he said, adding that Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo had also expressed to Coll his support for earlier closing times.        

It is unclear what timeline the measure would take, but the county Law & Finance Committee – which is chaired by Veitch – next meets Feb. 12. That subcommittee typically forwards its recommendations for approval to the county Board of Supervisors. That Board holds its next monthly meeting on Feb. 20.