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Posted: 8:24 AM Jul 26, 2010
Lincoln Bar Owners Speak Out About 2 AM Last Call Decisions
Lincoln, Neb. One week after city council members said they had not heard much interest in Lincoln bars moving last call to 2AM, bar owners are speaking out.
Reporter: Alicia Myers Email Address: alicia.myers@1011now.com |
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One week after city council members said they had not heard much interest in Lincoln bars moving last call to 2AM, bar owners are speaking out.
Another hour at Lincoln bars could mean more money for owners. That is if the city council is willing to listen.
"I've written letters to all of the council members. I did hear back from 3 of them, and what I've heard from them is we're kind of in a wait and see mode," said Randy Wilson, owner, Randy's Grill and Chill.
Wilson, said Lincoln should not be afraid to take the first step within the county.
"I understand many of the issues on both sides, but I feel when we're dealing with social issues like this, that Lincoln has failed to take a leadership role, and we have kind of left it up to some of the surrounding communities to make those decisions, and then we try to follow suit," said Wilson.
That is why Wilson and dozens of other bar owners in Lincoln plan to head to the city council Monday.
"I'm glad they're showing up. They need to let us know what their position is on this," said Councilman John Spatz. "I don't want to assume that all bar owners are supporting this, because that's not all the feedback I've gotten. We have gotten a lot of emails, and the vast majority have been supporting a 2AM close."
But, just because they show up, does not mean they will be able to voice their opinions.
"One of the things that concerns me, is if they want to speak during the public comment period, due to open meetings laws, if somebody wants to speak on an item that is reasonably anticipated to be on a future agenda, we can't allow that, because if Joe Public is interested in bar closing time, and the city council hears a lot of information on that at a time when it's not on the agenda, that could pose some open meetings problems," said Spatz.
Wilson and others said they are prepared to do what they can to push back Lincoln's last call.
"I think there would have to be a new strong effort for a lot of the bar owners in the bar community to take on in helping with some of that responsibility," said Wilson.
Click Here For A Map of Nebraska Bars Changing Closing Time to 2AM
Latest Comments
please email the city council today and support the 2am bar closing!!
If you support 2am closing time then write your city council members today... The open forum and vote will be Aug 16th.
Subsidies and tax breaks, ray, that's how they do it. Unless you get corporate sponsorship, these things always cost the taxpayers more than they bring in.
You have your arena now make more money to pay for it. It is simple. How do you think other venues do it?
It seems to me this is an issue that should be placed on the agenda of a City Council meeting in the near future. Let the people speak both pro and con. It's an issue and the council should address it up front and not perform some type of dance as if attempting to avoid making a difficult decision.
I do not understand why this is such a big issue to some people. People are going to do what they want to when they want to. You can't legislate morality no matter how hard you try. If you were somehow able to eliminate all the bars in Lincoln, the police would still find drunk drivers, and the homeless people would still hang around downtown. I lived in Rapid City, SD for five years where closing time is 2 am. The downtown bar scene was just crazy as Lincoln's can be and no one seemed to have a problem with it. Deadwood, SD even suspends open container law on most holidays, and I never heard of any problems because of it. An extra hour will make the city money through extra taxes, and the bar owners/employees will make extra money that they can then spend later. Sounds like a win win to me.
Sharia law forbids it. Allah does not allow bars open past one in the morning.
So I moved to Lincoln to go to school, and was shocked that the bars close at 1am. I have read all the comments and people are worried about more drunks and accidents but if people want to get drunk and drive they will do it regaurdless. Also when this arena is built there will be many shows that wont get out til late and its smart to be open later. It's not such a big deal. Let the bars have their hours and stop whining Lincoln!
I find it amazing that the city of lincoln is faced with a 2;00 oclock bar closing.I used to live in milwaukee and the bar times there are 2 oclock on week days and 2:30 on weekends. but off sale shuts down at 9.Iowa is 2 and so are many other areas. On new years eve the bars say open 24 hours in Milwaukee. That being said it dont matter to me if the bars stay open an extra hour or not,I am not interested in helping pay the extra tax for the arena
Spatz says they cant allow people to come in and talk about something which is potentially an anticipated topic on a future agenda. Note that Spatz does not commit that it WILL be on a future agenda, but it could be... This means, like already indicated in Spatz's last interview, the council has decided not to extend it and can keep people away from council meetings saying that since it could be a topic later, it cant be discussed in council meetings during public comment. If it is not able to be heard during these times, they they dont have to hear the whining of bar owners or others who may have intelligent and articulate rational to stay open later. The loophole of telling the public to shut up because the council magically knows what is the best for the city, has again been exploited.
As a server/bartender....I would personally hate to see the bars stay open later. I want to make more money just like everyone, however...I just wonder at what cost, at whos expense. I think most people have had plenty to drink by 1a.
It will be interesting to see if the city council follows through with the 2 a.m. closing time for bars because i remember reading an article in the journal star that they said they would vote for the 2 a.m. close if the vote for the new arena passed. Well you got your arena, now let's see if you make good on your word or not. My money is on not.
NO !! The bars should not stay open until 2am. One am is late enough. We have too many bars in the down town area and we have enough problem's with the drinking now as it is. If anything, the time should be moved back to 12:00, midnight.
Oh My Gosh. Do these bar owners think that one more hour is going to make them rich. NO, it will make more drunks downtown to rape and rob and more drunks on the streets in cars killing some one though. Think about it. where is your head ..why is drinking so important in Lincoln?? The university kids are already drunks.....
were such losers when it comes to stuff like this, i think it would be great for lincoln to have a two am closing time, and with this pretty arena coming its about time, its not about money or to many drunks on the road, if they want to drink and drive they will regardless of when a bar closes, it gives alot of second shift workers an extra hour which for them thats great, move into the future lincoln, quit letting a handfull of squirrels make your decisions for you because its going against maybe something they wouldnt do, the times are a changing and lets just change our city council as well
