How Did the Pahrump Valley Winery Lose Its Liquor License?

For the last 15 years on our annual visit to LV, we made a point to drive out to have lunch at Symphony, the wonderful little restaurant in the Pahrump Valley Winery. I just saw a headline that PVW lost its liquor license. How did this fiasco come about?

Eater Las Vegas reported on this at vegas.eater.com.

The winery was sold in 2019 and, apparently, the new owners believed that the liquor license transferred when they bought the operation for $7.5 million. Nye County officials don't see it that way, contending that liquor licenses are held by individuals, not businesses.

In this case, the liquor license was held by the wife of the seller. She was supposed to be kept on as staff, but that apparently didn't work out. When she left, county officials contend, the liquor license went with her.

Still, the winery operated for a year on a conditional liquor license, which was scheduled to be suspended on July 7. But that date was moved up to August 18 to allow the new owners to get the application and fees together for the permanent license.

Some documents were submitted at the show-cause hearing on Aug. 18, but due to uncertainty in the ownership of the winery and the number of missed deadlines since early July, the Nye County Commissioners voted 5-1 to revoke the conditional license.

Update 01 June 2021

This was sent to us by the owners of the winery. We reprint it verbatim.

"This was NEVER a conditional liquor license. It was a permanent license the Judge ordered to be reinstated last Friday at 2 pm. The corrupt politicians in Nye County wanted a $25,000 bribe which would not ever have been paid as it is unethical and immoral. Whoever wrote this should be censured for propagating fake news.

"It is also interesting to know that the previous owners have violated a non-compete and were paying funds to various county officials to cause issues with the license, including testifying and perjuring themselves in regards to the transaction. They have offered to buy the Winery back at a huge discount under many different names and also spend considerable time and resources spreading a false narrative.

"The Winery is and has been open for business all during the time we have owned it, over 2 years, with multiple offerings that were vinted from Nevada grapes. The previous owners were not winemakers and simply bought bulk wine from California and put a label on it. We now have a platinum award winning winemaker from Napa California and the offerings are fantastic. We should really try to uplift and support new industries that are being created in the Silver State.

"We will be pursuing each and every inaccurate article and hope we can assist you in getting this information correct. We have won 9 Open Table awards for the quality of the restaurant, we have invested heavily to make it a destination and assist in driving tourism to the Pahrump, Death Valley area. We work heavily with Travel Nevada and take care of any and all requests the Nye County Travel Authority has on a recurring basis. Please look at our website PahrumpValleyWinery.net for all the beautiful pictures and activities...

"I am grateful you will correct the article asap."

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Comments

Jackie Oct-06-2020

Wait a minute

Uncertainty in ownership? Liquor license or Winery?  This is confusing as an individual may hold a liquor license as a sole proprietor but this was obviously some form of a corporation as the sale was by stock transfer to a corporation and the liquor license was required by law to be held by the corporation and transferred in the sale to the purchasing corporation and the license amended to show the new officers.  Something is missing in the details of the sale possibly that the Lokens started their ownership as a sole proprietor or partnership obtaining an individual liquor license then incorporating but not updating the liquor license to a corporate one which made the business semi-legal and a breach of contract sale.  Someone is in a heap of trouble now and it is the Nye County Commissioners for allowing a false license to continue.

Dave Oct-06-2020

Maybe...

I have no reason to doubt Jackie.  But Jackie’s response includes a comment about amending the license. Obviously that wasn’t don’t. So the license was still owned by the former business owner, who was remaining on as an employee. 

Would that be legal? Assuming it was, once she was no longer employed, then it becomes a questionable situation. And, if she was fired or quit or in some way no longer friendly with the new owner, wouldn’t she, at will, be able to terminate their use of her license?

Ya gotta read between the lines sometimes...

Dave Oct-06-2020

“wasn’t don’t”

Make that: wasn’t done

I REALLY wish this had a bigger/easier to use edit window. Sigh...

O2bnVegas Oct-06-2020

to Dave

Dave

You CAN make the window bigger.  Click and hold your cursor on the lower right corner (there are tiny slashes there), drag downward to make your window as big as you need.  This does help some, easier to proof read in a larger window.  Doesn't prevent typos from happening, just a bit easier to see and fix...sometimes.

I too wish we could edit once sent.  I understand this is in the 'stack' of possible future fixes for QoD.

Dave in Seattle. Oct-06-2020

	 O2bnVegasOct-06-2020 to Dave Dave  You CAN make the window bigger.

It depends on your chosen browser. If I right click,I can go to full screen.  It will be in your setting page. Make type larger. Does that work?

Patricia Oct-06-2020

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Dave Oct-06-2020

Editing

I’m using an iPhone. You can’t change the text box size. Also, it’s hard to scroll. 

Because of this, I usually write/edit using a different app, then copy/paste. 

Alas, it’s when I wanna do a quick post that I type directly - and screw it up. :(

Question of the Day - 06 October 2020

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