Danville City Council members are still debating whether to change the city’s liquor codes in order to prevent video gaming parlors from sprouting around town. Anyone who wants to offer video gaming must first get a city liquor license, and Mayor Rickey Williams Junior notes there are several available…
{‘’I believe we have somewhere between 9 and 12 of the various classes so far where liquor can be poured,’’ said Williams. ‘’If liquor can be poured then those individuals who hold those licenses can then apply to the state gaming board to do video gaming.’’}
But Mayor Williams, and some city council members, are wondering whether the council should try to limit video gaming parlors by amending the liquor codes.
Alderman Steve Nichols is one who is concerned about the way video gaming parlors have sprouted south of Danville….
{‘’The only problem I always have with these kind of things is that the communities around us don’t play by the same rules. So they can ring us with those things, and then we just lose the revenue and it hurts the businesses anyway,’’ said Nichols.}
The Mayor says he plans to take an informal poll of city council members next week to see whether they want to do anything about changing the liquor code regarding gaming.
Meanwhile, Mayor Williams notes this is certainly not a new concern…
{‘’During my entire time on the council when this became an issue, the Administration then first was working to protect some of the non-profits in town – such as the Legion, such as the Knights of Columbus – places like that,’’ said the Mayor. ‘’Then it also became, once they started increasing and expanding, trying to limit the numbers. So that’s been something that the Council has said in my entire ten years here. And we will have an informal poll next week to see if – in fact, that’s still the case.’’}
The City Council could potentially vote on any changes in the liquor ordinance at its second meeting in September.