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Town and Country resident raises concerns tying gaming machines to liquor-license approvals
Summary
A business owner at 12200 Pike Road used public comment at the April 14 meeting to criticize the city's practice of addressing gaming machines through liquor-license applications, calling the approach unfair and selective enforcement.
At the public-comment portion of the April 14 Board of Aldermen meeting, Pat McNerney, who identified his address as 12200 Pike Road and described himself as a business owner, criticized the city for addressing gaming machines through liquor-license application processes.
McNerney said the franchisee who applied for a liquor license did not disclose plans to install gambling machines and argued that tying regulation of machines to liquor licensing is "totally unfair." He described the practice as "selective prosecution" and said residents have not contacted the city to express broad public support for machines. "If they try to add it to the ordinance, which would apply to your liquor license, ... that's like selective enforcement of the law," McNerney said.
City officials did not announce a specific change to the liquor-code during the comment period. The board later continued bill 25-18, an ordinance amending Title 6 (Alcoholic Beverages) to add a section 600.255 and amend 600.400 regarding liquor licenses, to the April 28 meeting for additional consideration.
Why it matters: The comments touch on the city's approach to regulating electronic gaming in establishments that serve alcohol and foreshadow public interest in forthcoming code amendments scheduled for further review.
What happens next: Bill 25-18 (proposed liquor-code amendments) was continued to the board's April 28 meeting for further review and public comment.
