Email
Print
Owners of gaming spots say it's just cheap entertainment
Bruce Matlock photo
Angela Rankin talks while playing Tuesday at the Statesville Business Center.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: November 18, 2009
Statesville city leaders were scratching their heads when they arrived at the regular city council meeting Monday night and were greeted by a crowd that nearly filled the council chambers.
"We were wondering what brought everyone there, because there were no public hearings that were really controversial on the agenda," said Public Information Officer Nancy Davis.
It was not a public hearing that got everyone's attention, but rather a number of proposed ordinances aimed at regulating "Electronic Gaming Operations."
But even before the meeting started, Mayor Costi Kutteh said the item was being pulled from the agenda.
Kutteh later explained that in reading the proposed ordinances, City Attorney Eddie Gaines saw things he didn't like.
Gaines did not expound much on the matter, but said that one thing that could be problematic was the city's plan to limit the gaming businesses' hours of operation.
The city's planning department said five such businesses have applied for operating licenses but one of those has not yet opened.
The matter was not just tabled until a future meeting but pulled, meaning it may not come up again.
And that would suit those who run the city's four gaming operations just fine.
"I don't know why they are picking on us," said Sonny Menton, the owner of one such gaming site, Statesville Business Center on Sullivan Road. "Why is it OK to buy a lottery ticket at 6 in the morning at a gas station but they want to close us down at midnight?"
Menton said he runs "the same kind of business as a Kinko's." He said that the computers in his business "are just like the computer you have in your house."
He said he runs "a good, clean business" and that his rules are so strict that he does not even allow loud talking.
Spiro Lazaris, the owner of Athena Internet Connection on West Front Street, said the same thing.
"If I see any trouble at all starting up, I will give the guy double the $5 he gave me and I will tell him to go," Lazaris said, and added that he actually agreed with some of the restrictions being proposed.
"We have to stay away from the churches and the schools and the parks," he said. "This is all just fun, and there are no problems here, but I don't want to be a bad temptation to the kids."
Lazaris said he actually provides a service for those who like to gamble but do not want to travel great distances to do so or risk large amounts of money.
"People spend five or 10 dollars here," he said. "You wouldn't drive all the way to that Indian reservation casino with $5. You come here for a half-hour and you have a little fun."
Lazaris explained how he operates. He said people can purchase a $5 phone card and 500 points on computer game. He said the card is worth 75 minutes of calling time and that he "buys back" whatever points game players wish to sell him.
He said it was all legal.
Statesville resident Kenny Torrence was at one of Lazaris' computers Tuesday afternoon playing a slot-machine type game that he did not fully understand.
"But it's fun," he said. "And I don't see anything wrong with it."
And that's the point the owners want to make.
"Some people play bingo and some play the lottery," said Menton. "We have a lot of people who like to play these games. It's what they do for entertainment."
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
