By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Beer will flow uninterrupted at Paul Brown Stadium despite recent problems that threatened its liquor license, the stadium's food-service operator said Tuesday.

"Our records indicate that all tax issues related to the liquor permit at Paul Brown Stadium have been resolved," Aramark Corp. spokeswoman Debbie Albert said. "The Ohio Department of Taxation has recommended that the Ohio Division of Liquor Control renew the liquor permits for Paul Brown Stadium."

However, the spokesman for the Department of Taxation said he could not discuss a taxpayer's case, and the Division of Liquor Control said it had not yet received written notice that the tax problem had been resolved.

The Division of Liquor Control can refuse to renew or transfer liquor licenses when a company is delinquent in paying its sales or withholding taxes, spokesman Matt Mullins said. The state alleged that that was the case with Ogden Corp., the company that holds the liquor permit. Ogden applied to transfer the permit to Philadelphia-based Aramark in 2002 after Aramark bought Ogden's food and beverage concessions, including at Paul Brown.

Both the transfer and the annual license renewal - due Sunday - were being held up by the Division of Liquor Control, Mullins said. However, Aramark expects to receive its renewal by the deadline, Albert said.

The Bengals stood firmly behind the company Tuesday.

"We're confident that no problem exists, and all sales will go on as originally planned," team spokesman Jack Brennan said.

Aramark also took over Ogden concessions at the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center and the University of Cincinnati's Shoemaker Center and Nippert Stadium.

In a separate matter, the state Liquor Control Commission will hold hearings June 25 on allegedalcohol violations at Paul Brown last November, Mullins said.

Since they were the first such arrests at Paul Brown, the liquor license holder is likely to just be fined $100 to $1,000, said Julie Ehrhart, spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety's Investigative Unit.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com