City considers supper club slots

Judy Odierna

Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003 | 9:44 a.m.

Some city officials want to make sure that more Las Vegas restaurant patrons can play slot machines while waiting for a table.

The City Council is set to consider a proposal that would allow 10 slot machines for any supper club with more than 5,000 square feet of usable floor space and five machines for supper clubs with less than 5,000 square feet.

Supper clubs are restaurants that have small bars but derive most of their income from meal sales. Las Vegas is the currently the only area municipality that does not allow gaming in supper clubs, officials said.

Monday, the city's Recommending Committee -- councilmen Lawrence Weekly and Michael Mack -- sent along the proposal to be heard before the full City Council with no recommendation.

Tavern owners, who are allowed up to 15 machines and get most of their income from liquor sales, complained that allowing gaming in supper clubs could hurt business at taverns.

"We have to make sure our businesses are viable," said Ron Drake, president of the Nevada Tavern Association. "By allowing supper clubs to act as taverns it reduces our viability."

Many local municipalities follow the Clark County model, which restricts supper clubs to a maximum of five machines. County supper clubs that had 15 gaming machines before Dec. 18, 1992, were grandfathered in and allowed to keep the 15.

The city of North Las Vegas also allows five or fewer machines in supper clubs.

Henderson was to decide today whether to change its regulation. Supper clubs in Henderson currently are allowed up to 15 gaming machines. The new legislation would reclassify supper clubs as restaurants with a bar and new establishments would be limited to five machines. If the legislation is passed, existing restaurants will be grandfathered in and allowed to keep the current 15 machines.

Mark Vincent, director of Finance and Business Services for Las Vegas, said he wasn't sure why Las Vegas had the restriction to begin with.

"I'm sure an inquiry prompted us to take a look at it (again), but I am not aware of a particular establishment that has requested gaming," Vincent said. "I would imagine many would be interested."

In 1996 the city of Las Vegas decided not to include slot machines in a new ordinance that eased restrictions for supper clubs. At the time, the restrictions were so tight that many supper clubs opted for a tavern license, which was more expensive and included up to 15 gaming machines.

However, because taverns must be 1,500 feet from schools, churches and each other, the council was faced with a series of requests for variances.