(a) Legitimate theaters as defined in subsection (b) or subsection (c) may apply for a Class T license. The license authorizes the holder of the license to keep for sale and to sell beverages at retail in the place described in the license and to deliver those beverages for consumption on the premises where sold at the times when scheduled events relating to art, the legitimate theater or community artistic experiences may be held on those premises and for a period of one hour prior to those events and one hour subsequent thereto, provided those events begin subsequent to twelve o'clock (12:00) noon. The licensed premises may contain a bar. A Class T license authorizes entertainment only in conformity with ordinances of the city or town where the facility is located on the licensed premises. Class T licenses shall only be issued by the local licensing authority.
(b) "Legitimate theaters," for the purposes of this section, includes nonprofit, cultural organizations and for-profit historic theaters located in the city of Newport or the town of Burrillville with a primary purpose of providing a support system to deliver and coordinate various arts activities for the benefit of the communities the theaters serve or that provide live, regularly scheduled theatrical productions on a regular basis throughout the year and all events contributing toward the goal of providing quality artistic experiences for the community.
(c) For purposes of this section, "legitimate theaters" shall also include facility management corporations that are contractually authorized to manage buildings owned or under the authority of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority with a primary purpose of providing a support system to deliver and coordinate various arts activities for the benefit of the communities the corporations serve or that provide live, regularly scheduled theatrical productions on a regular basis throughout the year and all events contributing toward the goal of providing quality artistic experiences for the community.
History of Section.
P.L. 1980, ch. 357, § 1; P.L. 1982, ch. 426, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 170, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 215, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 226, § 1; P.L. 2020, ch. 43, § 1; P.L. 2020, ch. 54, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 395, § 1, effective July 14, 2021.