At its meeting last Thursday, the Gadsden County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously (10-0) to recommend the Gadsden County Commission allow a special exception for Havana Springs Resort to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages at its restaurant and events facility, 200 Coca Cola Avenue in Havana.
Havana Springs Resort, formerly White Dog Plantation, is a 38.9 acre parcel with about 30 acres zoned for commercial use and about 8.9 acres for rural residential. It is owned by Lynn Badger, who has contracted to sell the property to Jennifer and John Heal, formerly of St. Louis.
he Heals say they intend to continue to host lodging in the cottages at the property, as well as events in the facility’s Shady Rest Event Center such as weddings, parties and corporate meetings. While Badger has utilized outside caterers and beverage services, the Heals have requested special exception approval from the county commission to allow them to serve/sell alcoholic beverages to guests as part of their catering, special event service and lodgings.
They also intend to open the restaurant daily in the near future. The Heals are not proposing any expansion to the existing structures of the facility. The Heals said the maximum seating capacity at the facility is 200 people, but they intend to keep the limit at 150 people for weddings, receptions and special events, with about 50 people at a time to be seated in the restaurant.
The number of employees utilized by the facility would be around 20 to 30, depending on the number of events.
By Randall Lieberman
randall@prioritynews.net