The Denver Post
BLACK HAWK — Now that they can stay open 24 hours, Colorado's mountain casinos are eyeing a legislative push to allow them to serve alcohol around the clock.
Operators have found that, for the most part, the slot machines stop ringing and the dice stop rolling once the beer stops flowing.
State law doesn't let businesses serve alcoholic beverages between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Gambling-industry officials say discussions to eliminate or amend that statute — or to create an exemption for casinos — are preliminary, and a proposal may not come until 2011. B
ut they have already raised the issue with some state legislators, and the Colorado Gaming Association is researching liquor laws in other states thathave casinos.
"It's something we're very interested in, but we also know it's a very complicated topic," said Troy Stremming, a senior vice president with Ameristar Casinos, which operates one of the largest casinos in the state and recently opened a $235 million, 33-story hotel in Black Hawk.
On a recent Friday night at the Lodge Casino in Black Hawk, Boulder resident Johnny Archibald sipped on a gin and tonic as he waited to play roulette at a jam-packed table.
"Gambling and alcohol go together," said the 22-year-old. About three hours later, roughly 30 minutes after last call, the same table was almost bare, with just one player. Across the street at the Ameristar casino, the crowd also promptly died down.
"It's so lame," said Sarah Clemmens, 29, while waiting with her friends at the valet at about 2:15 a.m. "I would stay longer if the serving time was extended."
Operators say they want to serve alcohol 24 hours to be on par with gambling destinations such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City, which have round-the-clock gambling and liquor service.
Remember when this was supposed to be "limited gaming," tailored to Colorado?"Our interest is strictly to be able to provide our patrons something that they expect," said John Bohannon, general manager at the Isle Casino in Black Hawk. "Most jurisdictions where you have 24-hour gaming, you're going to have 24-hour liquor service as well."
Opponents say extending the hours could create more problems with public intoxication.
"I'd have to look into it more, but, off the bat, it doesn't seem like a very good idea," said Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder, co-sponsor of a failed 2008 liquor bill that would have allowed convenience stores and supermarkets to sell wine and full-strength beer. "I would be especially concerned about all-night drinking at casinos."
Most nightclubs and bars have last call at about 1:30 a.m., and patrons stream out shortly thereafter.The grocery store bill was really about competition and fairness -- I don't see why we grant liquor stores a monopoly on selling alcohol when it increases prices and reduces convenience for consumers.
I wasn't trying to increase the availability of liquor. In fact, I assume the liquor stores' vehement opposition came from their belief that adding retailers wouldn't increase overall sales much, it would mostly divide up existing sales over more retailers.
I assume the current 2 am closing time is more to protect neighborhoods from intoxicated patrons and to give legislators and other people a few hours to sober up before heading back to work.
I would be especially concerned about all-night drinking at casinos. The casinos already cause a considerable amount of trouble.
It's an issue right now because of the Governor's decision to balance the current year's budget partially by diverting money from the Local Government Limited Gaming Impact Program. We've been getting stiff opposition including a town that says it will fold if it's forced to handle the impacts of gambling without the state help. A lot of the problems are alcohol related.
It's not much different at the casinos, and that doesn't bode well for them because they no longer close at 2 a.m. The industry recently spent more than $7 million on a ballot initiative to allow them to stay open 24 hours. The measure, approved by voters in November, also allowed casinos in Black Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City to raise the maximum bet from $5 to $100 and to offer craps and roulette.
The changes took effect in July. Operators haven't decided whether to seek an exemption or to work with other businesses to eliminate the no-alcohol-service window altogether.
"The key difference is the gaming industry is offering 24-hour entertainment where the stand-alone hotel or restaurant really doesn't do that," said Lois Rice, executive director of the Colorado Gaming Association.
Casinos won an exemption from the statewide smoking ban in 2006, but it was short-lived. Lawmakers killed the exemption in 2007, and the smoking ban took effect at casinos in 2008. Another option under consideration is to extend the service hours, perhaps to 3 or 4 a.m., said Ameristar's Stremming.
"We've heard some legislators say, 'I think that that law is ridiculous, and we ought to get rid of it anyway,' " Stremming said. "But we've also heard others say, 'It's been there, it's always been there and it should stay.' "
In St. Charles, Mo., where Ameristar operates a casino, the company won approval a couple of years ago to extend the end of liquor service from 1:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. in nongaming areas, such as its restaurants.
The casino already was allowed to serve alcohol until 3 a.m. on the gaming floor.
Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com
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