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Mr. Gruber replied that if they wait until the other cities make the change they will have basically <br />lost their clientele because people are already getting into the habit of driving to other <br />communities. <br /> <br />Police Chief Way replied that once people start getting busted for drinking and driving they may <br />realize that it is better to stay closer to home. <br /> <br />Mr. Gruber stated that last week he watched 40 percent of his clientele walk out of his bar and if <br />that continues to happen he might not be in business by the time they make a change. <br /> <br />Councilmember Cook stated that from his viewpoint if people can't get all the drinking in by <br />1:00 a.m. so they leave at 11:30 to drive 10 miles away to be at a bar that closes an hour later <br />they have bigger problems. <br /> <br />Councihnember Elvig replied that it is not only about drinking it is about being out and having <br />fun. In Ornaha they would shut the bar offat 1:00 a.m., but the patrons could stay until 3:30 a.m. <br />f-te inquired if that was something the local bar owners would consider. <br /> <br />Mr. Carter replied that a lot of cities read the rules differently regarding the 1:00 a.m. closing <br />time. The city of Hilltop allows people to stay at a bar until 3:00 a.m., but they stop serving at <br />1:00 a.m. Currently the City of Ramsey requires bar owners to have people out of their <br />establishment by 1:15 a.nq. He thought allowing the bars to stay open past 1:00 a.m. with alcohol <br />being stopped at 1:00 a.m. would be a good compromise. <br /> <br />Mr. Gruber stated that the only problem he could see is that if they stop serving at 1:00 a.m. the <br />issue will be the bar down the street will serve them until 2:00 a.m. <br /> <br />Councilmember Elvig replied that it may be a way for the businesses to keep a competitive edge <br />until they can see what other communities are doing. If the surrounding communities all make <br />the change then they can consider the issue again. <br /> <br />Mr. Gruber noted that the city of Coon Rapids will probably be making the change by December <br />] s~ <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec stated that Mayors from the surrounding communities are going to be getting <br />together to discuss the issue because they are all beginning to receive a lot of pressure. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strommen inquired as to how late Spectators and Diamonds served food. <br /> <br />Both establishments stop serving at 12:00 midnight. <br /> <br />Mi'. Carter noted that the city of Woodbury mandated that they had to serve food up to two hours <br />before close on Thursdays and up to one hour before close on Friday. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session/November 3, 2003 <br /> Page 7 of 13 <br /> <br /> <br />