The Naperville City Council received an earful from local bar and restaurant owners at a recent meeting as the chorus of calls to allow video gaming — and a new revenue stream — dominated the “public comment” portion of the meeting agenda.
The local owners cited numerous operational challenges, including competition in nearby communities, where video gaming is allowed, as well as other factors, such as rising operating costs, that have weighed on their bottom lines in recent years.
‘We’re struggling economically’
George Fiegle, co-owner of Danny’s Pub and Grill, said an allowance such as video gaming could help shore up his bottom line, which he said has been challenged since COVID-19 and inflationary pressures.
“I’m not too proud to tell you that we’re struggling economically,” Fiegle said. “COVID changed our world. The lunch crowd that we had — people are working from home now. Business meetings that we used to host are now being done over Zoom and Google Meet.”
Further reiterating his point, Fiegle said, “We have economic pressures we’ve never had before. Our food costs have doubled, and you can’t just double the prices to your customers or you’ll have no customers. We’re really feeling the squeeze.”
Fiegle and other Naperville-based proprietors — including Ken Eng, owner of Anthem Ale House — said the allowance of video gaming in other nearby communities puts their establishments within the city at a competitive disadvantage.
“We need your help to level the playing field,” Eng said. “For 35 years, I proudly served the Naperville community, and over that time, I’ve been fortunate to receive strong support from both my customers and the city.”
Block 59 also singled out by bar, restaurant owners
A number of the nearly dozen speakers at the recent city council meeting also pointed out other local pressures that could challenge their businesses, such as Block 59, the new shopping and entertainment district that will include a number of national eateries.
“Without video entertainment, local businesses like mine simply cannot compete against these larger establishments,” Eng said.
Other speakers, such as Naperville resident Bobby Loncar, said they did not believe video gaming would erode the quality of life within the city.
“I don’t really believe that in our community, with the police force we have here, that we would have a crime element,” Loncar said. “I think a committee should be formed where you can gather all of the information and make a great decision and try to keep these businesses open.”
Next steps uncertain
At this point, it remains uncertain whether the council will take any next steps. None of the councilmembers made a referral on this matter during the “new business” portion of the meeting agenda.
Councilman Josh McBroom suggested getting more input from such sources as the chamber of commerce and hotel industry to get a true sense of the community’s pulse as it relates to video gaming.
“I’m very sympathetic; I was moved by the comments,” McBroom said. “I don’t want our family-owned businesses, and our mom-and-pop businesses, to be struggling.”
McBroom said he was “on the fence” about video gaming allowances in Naperville.
“I’ve talked to other communities that have this, and I think you could put a really tight ordinance together,” he said, leaving the door open to a possible suggestion down the line.
Councilman Ian Holzhauer also weighed in on the issue at the meeting. Video gaming, he said, “is going to be a real hard, heavy lift.” But he did weigh in on Block 59 and the competition it will present to local operators.
“Our city council voted for roughly a $20 million tax subsidy … to help the construction of that project,” Holzhauer said. “I’m a big believer in the free market. I think that people should compete on an equal footing, and I think the more that we subsidize restaurants to come in — national chain restaurants, with the resources that our local businesses do not have — the more we put (local operators) at a disadvantage.”
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