18B-1000. Definitions concerning establishments.

The following requirements and definitions shall apply to this Chapter:

(1) Community theatre. - An establishment owned and operated by a bona fide nonprofit organization that is engaged solely in the business of sponsoring or presenting amateur or professional theatrical events to the public. A permit issued for a community theatre is valid only during regularly scheduled theatrical events sponsored by such nonprofit organization.

(1a) Convention center. - An establishment that meets either of the following requirements:

a. A publicly owned or operated establishment that is engaged in the business of sponsoring or hosting conventions and similar large gatherings, including auditoriums, armories, civic centers, convention centers, and coliseums.

b. A privately owned facility located in a city that has a population of at least 200,000 but not more than 250,000 by the 2000 federal census and is located in a county that has previously authorized the issuance of mixed beverage permits by referendum. To qualify as a convention center under this subdivision, the facility shall meet each of the following requirements:

1. The facility shall be certified by the appropriate local official as being consistent with the city's redevelopment plan for the area in which the facility is located.

2. The facility shall contain at least 7,500 square feet of floor space that is available for public use and shall be used exclusively for banquets, receptions, meetings, and similar gatherings.

3. The facility's annual gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages shall be less than fifty percent (50%) of the gross receipts paid to all providers at permitted functions for food, nonalcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages, service, and facility usage fees (excluding receipts or charges for entertainment and ancillary services not directly related to providing food and beverage service). The person to whom a permit has been issued for a privately owned facility shall be required to maintain copies of all contracts and invoices for items supplied by providers for a period of three years from the date of the event.

A permit issued for a convention center shall be valid only for those parts of the building used for conventions, banquets, receptions, and other events, and only during scheduled activities.

(1b) Cooking school. - An establishment substantially engaged in the business of operating a school in which cooking techniques are taught for a fee.

(2) Eating establishment. - An establishment engaged in the business of regularly and customarily selling food, primarily to be eaten on the premises. Eating establishments shall include businesses that are referred to as restaurants, cafeterias, or cafes, but that do not qualify under subdivision (6) [of this section]. Eating establishments shall also include lunchstands, grills, snack bars, fast-food businesses, and other establishments, such as drugstores, which have a lunch counter or other section where food is sold to be eaten on the premises.

(3) Food business. - An establishment engaged in the business of regularly and customarily selling food, primarily to be eaten off the premises. Food businesses shall include grocery stores, convenience stores, and other establishments, such as variety stores or drugstores, where food is regularly sold, and shall also include establishments engaged primarily in selling unfortified or fortified wine or both, for consumption off the premises.

(4) Hotel. - An establishment substantially engaged in the business of furnishing lodging. A hotel shall have a restaurant either on or closely associated with the premises. The restaurant and hotel need not be owned or operated by the same person.

(5) Private club. - An establishment that is organized and operated solely for a social, recreational, patriotic, or fraternal purpose and that is not open to the general public, but is open only to the members of the organization and their bona fide guests. This provision does not, however, prohibit such an establishment from being open to the general public for raffles and bingo games as required by G.S. 14-309.11(a) and G.S. 14-309.13. Except for bona fide religious organizations, no organization that discriminates in the selection of its membership on the basis of religion shall be eligible to receive any permit issued under this Chapter.

(5a) Residential private club. - A private club that is located in a privately owned, primarily residential and recreational development.

(6) Restaurant. - An establishment substantially engaged in the business of preparing and serving meals. To qualify as a restaurant, an establishment's gross receipts from food and nonalcoholic beverages shall be not less than thirty percent (30%) of the total gross receipts from food, nonalcoholic beverages, and alcoholic beverages. A restaurant shall also have a kitchen and an inside dining area with seating for at least 36 people. If the restaurant is located on an 18-hole golf course, the premises shall include the parking lot and the playing area of the golf course, including the teeing areas, greens, fairways, roughs, hazards, and cart paths.

(7) Retail business. - An establishment engaged in any retail business, regardless of whether food is sold on the premises.

(7a) Sports and entertainment venue. - Stadiums, ballparks, and other similar facilities with a permanently constructed seating capacity of 3,000 or more which are not located on the campus of a school, college, or university.

(8) Sports club. - An establishment that meets either of the following requirements:

a. The establishment is substantially engaged in the business of providing equine boarding, training, and coaching services, and the establishment offers on-site dining, lodging, and meeting facilities and hosts horse trials and other events sanctioned or endorsed by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.; or

b. The establishment is substantially engaged in the business of providing an 18-hole golf course, two or more tennis courts, or both.

The sports club can either be open to the general public or to members and their guests. To qualify as a sports club, an establishment's gross receipts for club activities shall be greater than its gross receipts for alcoholic beverages. The premises of a sports club substantially engaged in the business of providing an 18-hole golf course shall include the parking lot and the playing area of the golf course, including the teeing areas, greens, fairways, roughs, hazards, and cart paths. This provision does not prohibit a sports club from operating a restaurant. Receipts for food shall be included in with the club activity fee.

(9) Congressionally chartered veterans organizations. - An establishment that is organized as a federally chartered, nonprofit veterans organization, and is operated solely for patriotic or fraternal purposes.

(10) Wine producer. - A farming establishment of at least five acres committed to the production of grapes, berries, or other fruits for the manufacture of unfortified wine.