James Dolan hires investigator to track State Liquor Authority

Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan has reportedly hired a private investigator to follow a state liquor board investigator as the agency seeks to revoke the Garden’s liquor license.

Several properties owned by Dolan have been hit with administrative charges after facial recognition technology was implemented to identify and deny entry to attorneys working on litigation against him.

Exclusion of some backyard goers asked Charles Stravalle, New York State Liquor Authority investigator and retired police captain, to consider whether MSG can continue to serve alcohol at Knicks and Rangers games. , reported the New York Times.

Barring entry to only certain sports fanatics may violate state liquor laws that require establishments to admit the general public.

According to the Times, Stravalle called police after he was followed more than 100 miles by a black Chevrolet to his home in Queens.

After being dragged home, the driver of the Chevrolet remained camped outside with a camera pointed at Stravalle’s house.

The police then pulled over the Chevrolet, which ended up being a private investigator.

MSG Entertainment admitted hiring a private detective to track Stravalle, which it said was “common and legal practice,” according to court documents filed this week.

In addition to MSG, ALC could also revoke the liquor licenses of Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre, also owned by Dolan.

In response to the four violations filed against him, Dolan filed a petition in Manhattan Supreme Court on March 11 asking a judge to end the SLA violations, calling the application an “abuse of power.”

“This gangster-like government organization has finally come up against an entity that will not back down from its outrageous abuses,” Dolan told The Post last week.

“While others who have experienced this harassment may have been forced into submission or silence, we take a stand on behalf of our fans and the many small businesses who have long been victims of ALS corruption. .”

In the fiery 47-page filing, its corporate entity claimed that ALC’s “inappropriate actions” were “an assault not only on MSG, but on all of its fans, who will be deprived of the full MSG experience if the SLA gets its way and deprives MSG of its right to serve alcohol on its sites.