By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — The Bellagio Banquet and Conference Center, 23900 W. Warren Ave., is currently up to code and awaits a response from Michigan Department of Transportation regarding an emergency exit, city officials said, despite concerns from a city resident.
Landscaping work was completed this week and the exterior patio area in mid-November.
During the Nov. 26 City Council meeting Councilman Ray Muscat brought the topic up when the council was set to renew the business license for the business.
Muscat said he and other council members and city officials had been getting a lot of emails from a resident with concerns about the business.
Concerns sent by the resident were about the parking lot, use of the two entrances and exits onto Telegraph as access points which MDOT had barriers for in November, the venue only allowing valet parking in the lot, and whether Bellagio had a certificate of occupancy.
Building Director Larry Domski said the venue has a temporary certificate of occupancy until Jan. 2 and a permanent one will be provided once the MDOT request is handled.
The application Bellagio submitted to MDOT asked only to keep one of the exits that go out onto Telegraph Road to serve as a second exit or emergency exit in case of a fire or other incident.
Bellagio Banquet and Conference Center Managing Member Sam Beydoun said MDOT sent him an email stating the application was processed and offered an entrance and exit off telegraph, but that they didn’t need that and only needed the emergency exit.
The two exits that lead onto Telegraph became associated with the venue when the property behind the business was purchased. Currently the venue has two access points on Warren Avenue used for entrance and exits during events.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])