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GoogleIn February, owner Joe Peters asked the board to ask the state legislature for a special exception, but the resolution to do so died for lack of a motion. Other than Mayor Don Gallagher's explanation of what the resolution was for, there was no discussion.
There was plenty of discussion at Tuesday night's meeting, however, most of it taking place before any motions were made.
Peters addressed the board first, saying that at his first attempt, he "didn't have a solid idea on the way the hotel was going to go."
Now, he said, he has decided on using the live music angle as the foundation for building the hotel's business, and with a more definite business plan in mind, he wanted the board to reconsider the possibility of petitioning the state for the special exception that would allow him to serve liquor by the drink.
After his speech, Peters left.
Gallagher told the board that even if they passed the resolution and petitioned the state for the LBD exception, there was no guarantee the state would approve it.
"'Don't you think the citizens of Wartrace should have some input?' Alderman Ed Simpson asked. He added that customers were already allowed to bring their own bottles to the hotel.
"And I think that's the worst thing," he said. "With liquor by the drink, he'd have more control."
"I don't think the community understands what it's all about," said Alderwoman Patsy Gregory.
Because Wartrace has fewer than 1,000 registered voters, it can't call a referendum to decide if liquor by the drink can be allowed. In order to allow the hotel to serve alcohol, a special exception to the law would have to be granted by the state legislature, who will only consider it if asked to by the town's governing body.
Alderman Scott Claxton finally made a motion to allow a petition, or survey, asking the Wartrace voters their opinion and Simpson seconded it. Again, Gregory was concerned that the citizens wouldn't understand.
"They might think they're signing it for liquor by the drink or against it."
What the town's petition for the voters will be, clarified Gallagher, is asking them if they want the board to request a special exception for the hotel to serve liquor by the drink.
Claxton, Simpson and Gregory voted to approve that motion with Alderman Thomas Hurt voting no and Alderwoman Jean Gallagher abstaining.
The petition will be kept at the town hall during regular operating hours, said Mayor Gallagher, and anyone who lives in Wartrace and is registered to vote can come in to sign it. Town recorder Laura Gentry said if they can't come in during regular hours, they should call her and special arrangements can be made,
After hearing the town's decision, Peters said he was glad to see things moving forward.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
I don't live in Wartrace but I love the way Mr. Peters has remodeled it and brought it back to life for the community. I also enjoy the entertainment that is provided there and the food and the atmosphere. And I totally agree that having liquor by the drink makes much more sense than being allowed to bring in your own. Plus it provides all that anyone would want in a restaurant. I think Mr. Peters and his employees would be able to control the "drunks" by having control over the amount of alcohol ingested.
Does Ms. Gregory think the people of Wartrace are stupid and can't understand the wording of a petition?
I think Mr. Peters and his employees would be able to control the "drunks" by having control over the amount of alcohol ingested.
-- Posted by picmoma on Thu, Sep 24, 2009, at 11:51 AM
I'm sure Mr. Peters would be able to control the drunks and his bank account much better if the hotel served liquor by the drink. No one would be able to afford to get drunk with the minimal amounts of alcohol added to drinks. Personally I prefer places where I can bring my own bottle and mix my own. If Mr. Peters is having problems with the crowd that brings their own bottle, then perhaps he should hire a bouncer, then enact a policy, so if a patron causes trouble at the hotel, they will be banned for good or a period of time. Or his other option is no alcohol. I suspect this is more about fattening his bank account, instead of controlling the place better. A business owner does not make near as much selling set-ups, as they do selling 4 oz glasses full of ice, non-alcoholic beverage and then maybe a 1/4 ounce of liquor per drink.
Before anyone replies with a rant about drinking and driving, then for my sake, you can save it. My better half does not drink alcohol and drives me home very well, thank you.
JMHO,
William
@ HorseGentler -
Mr. Peters is a business man, he did not invest his time or money into the hotel just for the heck of it. Of course he would like to see his business grow, his bank account included. I'm sure the arguments were due to the issue of alcohol as a whole and not necessarily to imply that control was his sole reason for wanting alcohol by the drink. I'm sure that not many people asking for any kind of change in legislation say's " So I can make more money. " It is always masked with the benefits to the community. Case in point, I don't think the rock quarry issue that was once requesting to be rezoned had the petitioners stating so we can make money.
I think it is his butt on the line. He should be able to control alcohol, food portions, or even charge to use the facilities if he so wished to do so.
Business is business, you don't see the movie theaters saying bring your own popcorn, candy and soft drinks do you?
HorseGentler,
To reiterate what Average_Joe had to say, If I spent a cool million on a hotel and it's beautiful remodeling then I, too, would want to serve liquor by the drink. Have you been to Mr. Peter's establishment? It IS the best kept secret of Bedford County! Mr. Peters "crowd" doesn't need bouncers, because his establishment doesn't cater to those types of individuals. It is a very upscale place to enjoy great music, food, drink and a dance.
Wartrace benefits out of this more than Mr. Peters would anyways. The hotel is better than ever, the tax revenue would be 20 fold and it would bring in people from all over to spend money in Bedford county. 80% of his clients are NOT from Bedford County, his focus is bringing people to his establishment, if he can't serve a drink, where do they go? Coffee County? Rutherford County? Let's use some common sense.
Average_Joe & EM,
My comments were directed to picmoma's comment, which was included above my comments. I have no doubt that Mr. Peters invested money in his business and wishes to make more from it. I have no problem with that line of thinking. Yes, I have been to his place and it is very nice. I have been on only one occasion and the music did not suit my taste on that evening, but I was going to visit his place on another evening.
The rest of my comment concerning BYOB or liquor by the drink is my opinion and I stand by it. I can almost guarantee that if this passes, that I will not be visiting the place looking for an alcoholic beverage. However if EM is correct, then the majority of his clientele is expected from somewhere other than Bedford County, which I am a resident of. Thank you for your comments gentlemen.
William
I do't live in Wartrace anymore but the town does't need liquor by the drink , etc.
It would not hurt my feelings if the hotel was no longer there.
You see I was hit head long by a drunk driver in 2006 that came from Wartrace.
The drinkers of this co. can go somewhere else.
ok so wealthy people don't drink and drive? are you kidding me....if mr. Peter's was a good business man like you say then he would have researched the trials and tribulations of the hotel before putting all the money into it...if you give him liquor by the drink then the neighborhood stores might want to start selling beer and then our quiet safe community will be riddled with beer guzzlers and the wealthy that somehow can drink and get home safely with there magical rich powers. let's think of our community not just one person.
"...then the neighborhood stores might want to start selling beer and then our quiet safe community will be riddled with beer guzzlers and the wealthy that somehow can drink and get home safely with there magical rich powers."
if he got liquor by the drink, and if the local store(s) sold beer, the amount of drinking in wartrace would not change at all. Wartrace's "beer guzzlers" simply buy it elsewhere & bring it home. and the liquor drinkers at the hotel bring their own bottles. the only thing that would change would be the income of your merchants, and the tax revenue available to the town.
Wartrace be carful! you get what you pay for.Mr Peters is out for his own pocketbook he knew that he couldn't sell alcohol at the hotel when he bought it.I dont think you want to open this can of worms.. juat say no!!!!
Someone please explain to me why liquor by the drink gets countryfolk all tore up.
tatersue,
"becuz we've always dun it tha way..."
jennblo33om,
Who said anything about wealthy people? Sometimes it is good to get some growth, it won't hurt... really.
tinytoes,
Paranoid much? What could happen that hasn't already happened in Wartrace already? Lets see, More revenue? More tourists? OMG the travesty!
It's pretty short-sighted to think Wartrace is some kind of island that isolated from the real world. You can buy beer five miles down the road in Bell Buckle and in Beechgrove. You can buy hard liquor and wine either by the jug or by the glass nine miles away in Shelbyville. Nobody can stop you from bringing it into the city limits and keeping it in your cupboard or refrigerator. Meanwhile Wartrace struggles by just getting by on income from property taxes and water bills. By contrast Bell Buckle's storefronts are full and contributing sales taxes. The hotel is Wartrace's most recognizable landmark. A thriving hotel could give entreprenuers the incentive to fill the vancant storefronts and the hotel could provide needed tax revenue. Folks sticking their head in the sand and wishing for the good 'ol days are good people I'm sure but we need some progressive thinking here.
If this one is granted what is to stop anyone else from opening up beer joints in Wartrace? It will be hard to exempt one and not someone else.Think about it Wartrace,does Mr Peters even live in Wartrace,will his business come from Wartrace? what does he have to lose when the town is ruined or when an innocent person or child is killed by a drunk driver? what kind of example are we setting for our children{which according to the Walking Horse Hotels add ARE NOT WELCOME}You can call it anything to make it sound better but it is still a BEER JOINT no matter how you cut it.
tinytoes,
Are you kidding me? Are you that disassociated with reality that you have to place a few "what ifs" out there?
Where does it say Children are not Welcomed? Quite the contrary, he has child prices on his music venue sheet. Why lie?
my children and i are welcome at bell buckle cafe...your worried about having well mannered children in your establishment and we're worried about you having well mannered adults in our community.
Evil Monkey: Yes it does say children are not we;come in Rutherford mag and I know of several people that tried to make reservations only to be told the children were not welcome! Mr Peters suddenly says well mannered young people 12 and up are encouraged ie 11 and under not welcome. So before you post about something find out the facts! And YES I put in what ifs because people are what if it passes it might draw money to Wartrace or might get shops to open up. What ifs go both ways pro and con.No matter what you call it ,club,rest,music hall,etc it is just what it is a BEER JOINT! We dont need this kind of establishment in Wartrace.I agree with Jenny there are alot of rest. that children are welcome and we have taken our children to places with lots more class than Walking Horse Hotel.THis could be why Mr Peters rest PETERED OUT.
Evil Monkey: Yes it does say children are not welcome in Rutherford mag and I know of several people that tried to make reservations only to be told the children were not welcome! Mr Peters suddenly says well mannered young people 12 and up are encouraged ie 11 and under not welcome. So before you post about something find out the facts! And YES I put in what ifs because people are what if it passes it might draw money to Wartrace or might get shops to open up. What ifs go both ways pro and con.No matter what you call it ,club,rest,music hall,etc it is just what it is a BEER JOINT! We dont need this kind of establishment in Wartrace.I agree with Jenny there are alot of rest. that children are welcome and we have taken our children to places with lots more class than Walking Horse Hotel.THis could be why Mr Peters rest PETERED OUT.
I think if Mr Peters should get the exemption he should be required to have a bond or insurance policy for at least ten million dollars in the event that some of his (guest) drink and drive and kill or hurt innocent people.Are there any safeguards in place for this NOW? does Mr Peters have enough (true) assets to pay for someones longterm medical care or to take care of someones children if he is held responsible for his GUEST actions? The town of Wartrace should check into this NOW the citizens should be protected first...
tinytoes,
What does it matter what Mr. Peters does if you don't even shop in Bedford County? You might live here but you don't even spend money here. Why complain?
Bottom line is Mr Peters should be entitled to run his business as he see's fit. Those that do no like the way he run's his business should simply not go there.
I think the "what if's " that have been stated are quite a bit far fetched. Perhaps Wartace residents whom oppose liquor by the drink with the fear of drunk drivers should also petition that all roads leading into Wartrace be closed. It is far more likely for a drunk driver to be originating from any of the surrounding area's than from the hotel.
Alcohol is already there, the risk of irresponsible patrons is already there, I think that argument can be rested.
It wasn't that long ago you could purchase beer just a few feet outside of Wartace city limits and I don't recall an increase of drunk drivers then.
No Mr peters should NOT be allowed to run his business as he sees fit,there are laws that cover this and are here to protect everyone in the townnot just one person who decides he wants to do things his way. This has already been brought up in at least 2 churches and I can tell you that (IF) the state grants a special exemption for this the lawmakers that vote for it will NOT get a single vote from the Christian community.I dont think they want to give up there seat to help one person serve alcohol. And you bet we will not patronise this business and will encourage others not to go there also...If you ever go to an innocent persons funeral that was killed by a drunk driver or any other act buy a intoxicated person then you will see what we are talking about,tell the family how good alcohol is...
tinytoes,
Seems this is more personal then it is about alcohol, you will lose this battle. Still doesn't answer the question:
Why do you shop in Tullahoma and Murfreesboro instead of shopping in Bedford Counties shops?
tinytoes,
My argument or opinion rather is not that alcohol is good, it is that Mr Peters should be allowed to run his business as he see's fit. If he jumps through the hoops to get the permit he needs then so be it. This isn't a church issue, a moral issue and in all honesty it isn't even a safety issue.
While I appreciate and respect your personal connection to this issue, I think you could possibly be losing sight that this is an issue of business not a platform to advocate the dangers of drunk driving. Should the Wartrace Market be banned from selling tobacco of all variety? It is far more dangerous and addicting than alcohol. How long do you think they would have stayed in business if they did not sell tobacco?
And as Evil Monkey is trying to imply, if your going to fight for a community that you believe in, live in and genuinely care about, then why not support it with your hard earned money. Our county doesn't get any tax revenue from Tullahoma or Murfreesboro when you shop there.
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea.
Been to the Walking Horse and I love it. A really wonderful meal, spectacular to be honest and no one's whining kids running around. (Which is not the fault of the kids if parents let their kids act like it's recess inside a nice restaurant)
How does drunk driving play into this? People can drive and drink whether or not you can buy a drink in a restaurant?
Christians? How do they play into this? If a drunk doesn't take care of his family...it's not because he/she can buy a drink in a restaurant.
Beer joints...I may be misinterpreting, but it seems the exemptions have to be on a site by site motion, not the entire town. Let the restaurant sell a martini.
The people who support "Liquor by the drink" believe that The Walking Horse Hotel should have the same right to sell a product that, Chili's, Ruby Tuesday's, El Mexico, Legends, La Hacienda, etc.
Many of the places my family and friends go after church. I would think I'm not the only person on here who could say the same thing. I'm sure none of us have a drink with our Sunday evening meal, but that's our choice as customers. The WHH doesn't currently have a restaurant. They did at one time and may again. It's believed that one reason for it's demise was not being able to offer a cocktail or glass of wine with dinner. Yes you can "brown bag" (bring your own). Here is the problem with that. You must bring the bottle sealed. You must drink it all or waste the rest. (open container law). Not to mention, a customer who is willing to pay $14 a plate or $ 15 a ticket isn't likely to want to carry their bottle in looking like a "Wine-O". Especially when 1 drink or anything else under the legal limit is what they are after. So they won't drink or go somewhere else for there evening entertainment. .As for the concern about a store that sells beer being the end of civilization, let me know when you plan to boycott Walmart.
Oh, and how much profit Mr. Peters or any other legal business in this country makes is none of your (or my) business. At lest for the short while that capitalism is still popular.
I think it is very interesting that a couple Christian churches have discussed this topic and tinytoes finds it acceptable to speak on behalf of the entire Christian community. I don't need a bible thumping wanna-be like you or you buddy jenn speaking on my behalf. The enterprise of Christianity and all organized forms of relegion are laced with corruption and far to many sick individuals that have committed crimes against our children and then been quietly moved to the next community without so much as a slap on the wrist. You may be asking yourself what that has to do with an American business owner trying to survive in a very competitive industry. Absolutely nothing! I wouldn't look down on any relegious group because of what a small segment of their population has done. That wouldn't be being a good Christian! Why not open your eyes and consider that Mr. Peters may actually do something wonderful by bringing great music into a clean, respectable place for people to enjoy. Because if you really want to point your tiny fingers why not point them at Jesus? After all, wasn't it Jesus that went and turned that water into wine? And oddly enough, the bible is filled with people drinking wine... including the son of God. You may as well call the last supper another one of those darn BEER JOINTS! I wonder what Jesus would tell someone like you tinytoes... and your buddy jenn? Maybe you should spend less time judging a man you don't even know and brush up on the Ten Commandments.
Brown bagging is legal within the city limits of Wartrace by state law. Since no license is required by a restaurant to permit brown bagging where does the responsibility for over-indulging lie? If someone wants to finish off their bottle in the parking lot or across the street before driving home, who's going to say "I'm sorry, you've had enough, we can't serve you anymore". A liquor license places the responsibility for who is served and how much is served on the licensee.
It is my understanding that there is no longer a rest in the hotel, so is brown bagging legal now ?mabey we should check into what the law might say.If there is no rest then there is no food to serve liquor with...so it is just a beer joint...
apparently tiny toes are easily stepped on
apparently tiny toes are easily stepped on
tinytoes,
When brown bagging is happening within the hotel, there is a caterer there serving food.
Glad to here this we will be speaking to the health dept and also check to see if the proper permits and taxes have been paid...still a honky tonk for white trash rednecks... I hope ALL the paper work is in order as it should be!!!
Tinytoes... have you never eaten or been to an establishment that serves alcohol? Have you ever eaten in Ruby Tuesday, Legends, Chillie's, Outback etc. How about purchasing products from a mall? Their are restaurants inside nearly every one serving alcohol. Have you never been to a professional sporting event, auto racing, wrestling, baseball, hockey, anything? Because they all sell alcohol. As Evil Monkey stated their are no occasions where people jut show up in the hotel with their brown bags and say "let's drink". And no one is drinking in excess. There has never been an incident that required the police nor has the hotel ever recieved any type of warning from the town. I could see understand your attitude if the hotel had become a problem for the town of Wartrace but this isn't the case at all. And if you believe more drinking will occur if a liquor license is granted you are obviously not being realistic. The hotel is well maintained both inside and out... unlike many of eye sores in the town square. And the business he operates offers a welcomed service to the community. Why don't you give the man just a little credit? Seriously! He's made a considerable investment and deserves every opportunity to be successful. As a resident of Wartrace I love driving by the hotel on a Friday or Saturday night and seeing it coming alive again. And I have attended several music events there and the atmosphere is absolutely amazing. We need about 10 more people to do what Mr. Peters is doing and Wartrace could be a place that people from all around the state and country would visit when they are in Middle Tennessee. How can that possibly do anything but good things for Wartrace?