The Keg of Evanston’s loss could be 1800 Club’s gain.

Evanston City Council’s decision not to issue an extended-hours license to the Keg, 810 Grove St., puts 1800 Club, 1800 Sherman Ave., in position to become the first bar in the city to serve alcohol until 3 a.m.

City Council could vote on 1800 Club’s license at its next meeting on June 10.

“It’ll definitely give us an advantage over any and all competition,” said Brian Irons, manager of 1800 Club.

Irons said his bar did not have some of the problems aldermen cited as reasons for rejecting the Keg’s application.

“I honestly can’t remember the last time there was a fight here,” he said.

The council voted 7-2 Monday to delay decision on the Keg’s license for three months, citing liquor code violations and the frequent need for police presence at the bar as reasons for its decision.

Tom Migon, owner of the Keg, declined to comment on the vote.

Ald. Edmund Moran (6th), who voted against the delay, said the council treated Migon unfairly.

“It’s sort of like probation without conviction,” Moran said. “To just say to the guy, ‘We’re sending you to Siberia for three months, and you can speculate what we’re going to do on your return trip’ isn’t right.”

Moran said most of the requests for police presence at the Keg came from minor incidents, such as someone parking a car in a space that blocks the entrance.

“So some clown parks on the sidewalk,” Moran said. “Are you going to hold that against (Migon)?”

At the meeting, Alds. Arthur Newman (1st) and Ann Rainey (8th) spoke out against giving the Keg a new license. They declined to comment to The Daily.

Rainey said she was disturbed by a May 10 fight in front of the bar that ended with four cop cars called to the scene and eight arrests.

“(The Keg) needs to wait a lot more than three months,” Newman said at the meeting.

But Moran said Tuesday he was never informed of the May 10 fight.

“It seemed to me like some people had it in for (Migon),” Moran said. “It was interesting that Rainey and Newman had these extra reports that I didn’t have.”

Moran said for Newman and Rainey “to stand up like they did last night and blast someone like he’s a serial killer” could hurt the city’s reputation with business owners.

Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th), whose ward includes the Keg, said he probably would have voted to approve the license Monday if given the opportunity. But because he believed the proposal would fail, he voted for the delay.

Had the council rejected the Keg outright, Migon would not have the chance to come before the council again in three months.

Bernstein said the Keg should not be blamed for all the problems that occur in front of its doors.

“A lot of those people are coming from different places as well,” Bernstein said. “It’s not just the Keg’s fault.”

Bernstein said he believed Migon would correct the Keg’s problems and hoped other businesses would see the council’s vote as a reason not to violate liquor codes.

“He was, in effect, spanked publicly,” Bernstein said.

Bernstein said Rainey was justified in bringing her concerns before the council.

Northwestern students said they disagreed with the council’s decision.

“There’s no reason why they should have to close early,” McCormick freshman Kunal Jain said.

Medill sophomore Melanie Zanoza said she did not see violence as a common problem at the Keg.

“I’m not afraid that people are going to be fighting next to me when I’m there,” she said.