NORTHAMPTON — About six months after Diva’s Nightclub closed for good, state officials seized the establishment’s liquor license and scheduled it for auction next week.
The former owner of the club, Milo Enterprises — owned by Lori Conte — owes $43,466 in delinquent taxes to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, records show.
The auction will take place in the City Hall hearing room on Thursday, June 8, at 2 p.m. There is a minimum bid price of $25,000 plus a 10 percent “buyer’s premium,” the auction notice states.
All-alcohol liquor licenses in the city can sell for more than $100,000 on the private market.
Though the auction takes place in City Hall, the DOR is managing the event and will retain profits from the sale of the license. A spokeswoman for the department said she couldn’t disclose what type of taxes Conte owed.
“There’s been many opportunities for the taxpayer to pay what’s owed,” she said. “This is really the last resort.”
Conte could not be reached for comment. Diva’s, a popular drag club in its heyday, closed Oct. 31, 2016, after a 16-year run.
Any questions regarding the auction can be directed to the auctioneer, Edward F. Smith Sr., whose phone number is 617-770-1600.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.