As a consortium manager specializing in international architecture and construction projects, PDI Global works tirelessly to connect the global community with quality engineering and build design services that will bring big ideas to life. This sometimes means finding the most appropriate place for incentivized social gatherings-like happy hours-and making sure they fall within legal precedent. In the Twenty-First Century, the most important architecture and construction projects happen between nations and hemispheres. Whether you’re breaking ground on a new skyscraper in Saudi Arabia or leading a consortium in Quebec, understanding the implications of the happy hour regulations in Illinois can keep you from running afoul of local ordinances.
Networking events in the architecture and construction industry generally take place after hours and involve a variety of corporate sponsors. These sponsors supply food and alcohol to facilitate relaxed conversation and meaningful connection-often with an intent to negotiate future business arrangements. Whether you’re working in construction, architecture, or engineering, without networking, you lack the connections you need to ensure long-term growth. Architectural networking events and happy hours provide opportunities for business owners to connect with potential clients, partners, and investors. Not every happy hour is great, but when they are, they can facilitate relationships that pave the way to success. Illinois happy hour laws can affect the way these events play out and which businesses you work with.
Illinois happy hour law is clear: businesses can use the Illinois happy hour law to legally serve drinks for as long as they want. The Illinois happy hour law, however, isn’t about how long businesses can serve drinks at a party-it’s about the social incentives they can provide. Using the Illinois happy hour law, businesses can offer promotional prices, discounts, giveaways, coupons, and vouchers at happy hours. If you’re breaking ground in the Midwest, it might just make financial sense to stock your happy hour with inexpensive beer and wine.
Architecture and engineering firms often work together as part of a consortium. Sometimes these consortiums form for a single project and dissolve once the job is done. However, some consortiums stay together for decades, working on projects all over the world. In the construction industry, many of the most exciting projects happen between nations and hemispheres. Without happy hours, it would be challenging to organize these consortiums.
If you’re going to Illinois for a conference, a happy hour could be a good idea. Just be aware that Illinois happy hour laws only apply if the event takes place on the premises or at the primary location of your business. Because these happy hours only apply to primary locations, you’re probably off the hook if you’re hosting a happy hour at an off-site location (like a restaurant). In Illinois, the happy hour law doesn’t track with your out-of-state presence, so you won’t have to worry about compliance issues as long as it happens at the primary location. If in doubt, ask your lawyer to explain whether it complies.
Illinois happy hour law is relatively lax compared to other states. Happy hours first came on the scene in Chicago in 1989 when a change to Illinois law legalized the sale of discounted alcohol. Tasteful happy hours have been important in Chicago ever since. When comparing Illinois happy hour law to those in other states, it’s important to do so on a national and international scale. While Texas bans happy hours, other states (like Hawaii) permit happy hour promotions at any time of day. Within the United States, happy hour laws vary. Depending on where you’re doing business, your happy hour might be perfectly legal, or it might be illegal.
If you look at social media, there’s ample evidence that happy hours can help your business to grow. In a recent piece published by the American Institute of Architects’ California Council, author and architect Sarah Soledge wrote that “networking events can make or break your client list.” At happy hours, Soledge found that architects could “personally connect to clients,” making happy hour a key part of her industry’s networking strategy. The Chicagoist also published an article about whether happy hours are “a dying breed” in 2016. This article echoes the claims of Soledge: “Happy hours aren’t quite dead,” Raquel Villanueva writes, “at least not yet.” That tends to support the notion that, when held appropriately, happy hours create social incentives that benefit the architecture and construction industry-and that too high of a drink price might destroy progress. As such, it pays to compromise with your happy hour coordinator when planning your next networking event.
If you’re heading to an architecture or construction conference and need to plan a happy hour reception for potential partners, consider using Eventbrite, an event organization tool that helps you to plan compliant happy hours at any time of day or night. It’s simple and efficient to navigate. You can even set the price of your ticket to comply with Illinois pricing standards. Most of the time, happy hour prices are above five dollars unless you’re giving away food and drink for free (which isn’t generally considered to be in compliance with the law). By hosting a happy hour, you can facilitate relationships that last beyond the conference and help you access work opportunities that pay dividends in the long run.
