The Las Vegas City Council today put a 90 day hold on land-use applications that include a package liquor license.
They said the number of licenses for package stores, especially downtown, has been growing faster than other types of alcohol licenses, so city officials want to study the health and safety effects of having too many liquor retailers.
Package liquor is alcohol sold in sealed containers intended to be taken off premises. Only stores with floor areas less than 5,000 square feet are affected by the moratorium.
The moratorium will not affect bars, liquor stores or any other business where alcohol makes up most of the sales, or places already permitted to sell packaged liquor.
The city has 569 establishments licensed to sell package liquor, beer or wine, including 145 liquor stores.
