 The business petitioned the council last season to begin selling
beer at the races. It was approved, but they did it as suggested
through another organization that held an event liquor license.
This year the business owners are building an area to make and
sell their own food during races. They brought it to the council's
attention last November that they would be seeking a liquor license
to sell the beer themselves.
The council last added a caterer's classification that the
Restaurant at the Depot uses. But the speedway would not fit into
that classification or any of the others: packaged, tavern or
restaurant.
Reportedly, the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, who sold for them
last year, has said they would not be doing it this year.
The city does not have a category of liquor license that fits the
particular situation, which would make it necessary for the city to
write a new ordinance. In addition to the considerable time it takes
and the costs associated with modifying the ordinance, it would also
be difficult to write a new license that wouldn't be usable by some
other businesses.
Alderman Wanda Lee Rohlfs, who chairs the ordinance committee,
expressed concern that this might set an undesired precedent of
changing ordinances for just one business.
[to top of second column]
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Mike Maske and Kevin Kurtz were present to speak for the Logan
County Fair Association. They said that they support the business
selling beer. The association gets a percentage of the sales.
Together they also asked that the council do whatever they could for
them.
"Regardless, if they sell alcohol or not, Lincoln Speedway is a
positive in the future of our fairground," Maske said. "The more
money that they make, is the more money that we're going to make,
and the more money that the city of Lincoln is going to bring in.
These guys have been positive for our fairground, so I ask that you
support them in any way that you can."
Hammer and Horn were asked by ordinance chairman Wanda Lee Rohlfs
and Mayor Beth Davis-Kavleman to gather more information, including
getting details of how other communities and racetracks have dealt
with liquor licenses, and to look for more options.
The business owners and fairground representatives had departed
when it was recognized that Dick Logan was present representing the
Knights of Columbus. He said that they just signed a new 10-year
agreement with the fair association that gives the K of C the first
right to sell beer at any event on the fairgrounds. He couldn't say,
if they were to be asked, if they would choose to sell beer for the
speedway this year. He said the VFW was selling only 70 bottles a
night at the races last season.
The race season opens April 11. Believe it or not, that's only
six short weeks away.
[By JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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