It is an absolute crime, what you have done, by imposing the Smoking Ban.
November 23, 2005
Spectrum Lanes
Alleygators Nightclub & Restaurant
13001 Sixtysecond Place North
Maple Grove, MN? 55369
Hennepin County Commissioners
District 1: Mike Opat, Commissioner.Opat@co.hennepin.mn.us
District 2: Mark Stenglein, commissioner.stenglein@co.hennepin.mn.us
District 3: Gail Dorfman, gail.dorfman@co.hennepin.mn.us
District 4: Peter McLaughlin, Commissioner.McLaughlin@co.hennepin.mn.us
District 5: Randy Johnson, randy.johnson@co.hennepin.mn.us
District 6: Linda Koblick, Linda.Koblick@co.hennepin.mn.us
District 7: Penny Steele, Penny.Steele@co.hennepin.mn.us
To Whom It May Concern:
It is an absolute crime, what you have done, by imposing the Smoking Ban.
Since 1985, never before have we not been able to charge an admission from 8:00pm to close on Thanksgiving Eve.? Never before, have we had to run any promotion on this night, being the second busiest night of the year, second only to New Year’s Eve.? Yet tonight, we offered drink specials at our cost. We ran two promotions, beer and liquor with distributor representatives present and we charged no admission until Midnight.
At 10:00pm tonight, we had a total of 26 customers in our 24 lane bowling alley when historically we have been packed full with more than 100 customers at any one time, throughout the night.? In our bar, we had a total of 16 customers when historically we have had more than 500 with a line waiting out the door, in the cold, for hours, waiting to pay an admission and without reducing any beverage price or running any promotion.? Our restaurant food sales after 5:00pm were less than $500.00 when historically, we’ve not only had a waiting line, but had to take reservations as well.
In anticipation of being a busy night, I was fully staffed by 5:00pm, but by 10:30pm, I was forced to let employees go, by 50%.
Do you sincerely, truly understand or appreciate the impact that this Smoking Ban has had on our industry?
I learned at the Hennepin County hearing, regarding the imposed Smoking Ban on Tuesday, November 15, 2005, that at least 39 bars have closed since the imposed Smoking Ban.? I have only 83 employees left, down from 102.? That’s a reduction by almost 19%.? Of the remaining 83 employees, 58 of them are currently smokers, nearly 70% of my staff, all of whom were fully aware, prior to accepting employment that they would be working in a smoking environment.? Not one employee or customer has been forced into walking in our bar, restaurant or bowling alley, yet rest assure that this imposed Smoking Ban has and will continue to force them out.? Do you care at all, if we are to be the next bar/restaurant/bowling alley to close?? I wonder what impact that may have on the media, being that we would no longer be advertising on Radio or Television, as we have been for years?
Since the imposed Smoking Ban, our Food Revenue has dropped by 14% in comparison to the same time period one year ago.? Our Beverage Sales have dropped by 26%.? Our Tobacco Sales have decreased by 42%.? Our Charitable Pull-tab Contributions have dropped 51%.? Our Bowling Lanes Revenue has decreased by 63% including residual food and beverage sales representing a gross loss of $400,000.00.? We’ve gone from having 28 bowling leagues over a period of 33 weeks to 6 leagues.? My partners and I are no longer drawing any personal income.? Our accountant projects that unless we are able to recoup our losses or some how miraculously generate a substantial increase in revenues, our family owned, non-government funded business may be forced to close at the end of this year, sending 83 fathers, mothers, sons and daughters to the unemployment line where they can breathe freely knowing that you did them a favor.
Clearly, the numbers speak for themselves.? A substantial number of our regular, frequent customers are smokers that have left us and not returned. Yet we only represent a very small number of the vast majority that is directly affected by the imposed Smoking Ban; employees who rely on tips, live entertainment, Karaoke entertainment, food, beverage, beer, liquor, equipment and supply representatives, distributors and manufacturers, delivery drivers, printing, marketing and advertising companies, T.V. and Radio, cleaning services and on and on and on.
A great deal of time at the hearing was focused on the quality of air for those directly exposed to or directly affected by Second Hand Smoke in our industry with a lot of hype from those in favor of the ban without substantial, specific facts relating directly to those who work in our industry.? (Please see the two attached studies for your reference; The Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Center for Indoor Air Research and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France).
An awful lot of people are being adversely affected by the imposed Smoking Ban.? If you have any concern at all, for the hundreds, if not thousands of people that you are suppose to represent, that will be hurt by the imposed Smoking Ban, you will please, reconsider, sooner than later.
Respectfully,
L. Mandel, V.P.
Spectrum Lanes / Alleygators Nightclub & Restaurant
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