United is already under a non-prosecution agreement with the DOJ for their conduct with local officials at EWR; why not add another hub to the mix?
In all seriousness, Chicago
liquor license 2,434,095 is registered to UNITED AIRLINES, INC. The address is listed as 11601 W TOUHY AVE UNITED FIRST INT'L and the license term began on 01/16/2016. That license has a field "Doing Business As" and that field reads UNITED POLARIS LOUNGE. So it appears they are just using the existing liquor license from the old United First Lounge with a new d/b/a: United Polaris Lounge.
Funny thing, there is a license for
food (2,434,096) also registered to UNITED AIRLINES, INC. also with the address listed as 11601 W TOUHY AVE UNITED FIRST INT'L and the license term began on 01/16/2016. That license has a field "Doing Business As" and that field reads UNITED POLARIS LOUNGE. I don't see why they wouldn't be ready to serve food as well on 12/1.
Just a guess, but the Polaris lounge, with its waiter service meals and full buffet, likely required a whole new kitchen to be created, and probably a different license for the type of preparation going on. They probably need inspections as well. It's probably not so simple as re-using a permit.