Infinity Fun Wins Liquor License Transfer to Boost Restaurant Offerings

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A strategic pivot by a local family entertainment center sparked a brief debate Monday night over the intersection of alcohol, gambling, and youth activities. In a 4-2 split vote, the Watertown City Council approved the transfer of a retail liquor and video lottery license to Infinity Fun LLC, signaling a move away from simple concession-stand fare toward a full-service restaurant model.

Owner Jared Paulson presented the application as a necessary evolution for his business. He told the Council that the goal is to relocate his other business, Sandy’s Bar and Grill, to the rear of the massive Infinity Fun facility to better utilize high-end assets that are currently being wasted.

“I have a 4 or 5,000 square foot in the back that isn’t even utilized right now,” Paulson explained. “I have a huge kitchen set up there and I have a $60,000 oven that I’ve barely even using, so I’m trying to utilize more of a restaurant in the back”.

Paulson noted that current customers often complain that the food feels like “concession stand” quality. By relocating the entire restaurant, the facility will offer a rear entrance, an outdoor patio, and a separate kitchen to elevate the dining experience.

Ensuring a Barrier Between Kids and Cocktails

A primary concern for Council members was the proximity of alcohol and gambling to children. Paulson countered this by detailing a rigid layout of physical partitions.

“From Infinity, you’ll have to walk through the door into the restaurant and into another door going to the casino,” Paulson said, emphasizing that the gaming area would be “more sealed off” than his current standalone establishment. He further assured the Council that insurance policies and strict internal rules would prevent patrons from carrying mixed drinks onto trampolines or into bowling lanes.

Councilman Dan Schutte cast one of the two nay votes, expressing concern that the city was allowing a “full-fledged” liquor-and-gambling presence in a space synonymous with youth development. “My concern was more the mixing it with the youth activities,” Schutte stated. “Is this the right fit for our community? Where do we want to go?”

Councilman Lynn Jurrens pointed to broader trends in the regional entertainment industry. Jurrens described a recent visit to a similar facility in Kansas City, where an open bar was successfully integrated into a youth sports complex.

First, he thanked Paulson for his investment in the Watertown community.

“In order to compete and stay... you probably need to do it to provide and to make a living on it,” Jurrens argued. Paulson added that integrated liquor licenses are already a standard feature at similar “Family Fun Centers” in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls.

Despite the split vote, the application moved forward after Finance Officer Kristen Bobzein confirmed that the building official had visited the site and verified that the planned video lottery location met all state statutes regarding visibility and separation. Councilman Brent Mohrmann was the other nay vote.