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Tavern Times
Visit these Hospitality/Gaming Industry Web sites:
Montana Gaming Group: http://www.montanagaminggroup.com
Montana Gaming Research & Education Fund: http://www.gamblingmontana.org
Montana
Yellowstone
dinner
– Page 3
E-mail:
[email protected]
Main Office:
406-782-3660
“Dedicated to Serving the Montana Tavern and Gaming Industries”
Hagan
visits
tavern
board
Vol. 18, Number 7
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
Discussing his unsuccessful bill
last legislative session to revise
licensing for breweries, Rep. Roger
Hagan, R-Great Falls, told the
Montana Tavern Association’s
Executive Board recently that he
was disappointed in the “ugly
tone” of some bill opponents in
emails, phone calls and social
media.
Hagan said he experienced
“name calling” and “near-threats,”
adding that “my kids were appalled
at what their old man was called
on Facebook.”
Hagan addressed the MTA
board at its
quarterly
meeting
May 1 in
Helena.
The
representative said he
sponsored
the MTAsupported
House Bill Rep. Roger Hagan
616 for two
reasons: to level the playing field
between taverns and brewers and
to provide alcohol control for
brewers. He called the measure “a
good, solid plan with flexibility.”
Hagan told the board that “public perception” of the tavern indusSee BOARD Page 11
A Tash Communications Publication
This publication endorsed by
the Montana
Tavern
Association
June 2013
Show on the road
KEVIN LINTNER explains one of IGT’s reel
games to Nicole White last month during the
Paul Tash photo
Gaming Industry Association’s Spring Road
Show in Butte. See related story on Page 16.
Klock running for ABL presidency
Harry Klock, a longtime Montana Tavern
Association member and past MTA president, is
running for national president of the American
Beverage Licensees (ABL) at its convention June 911 in Washington, D.C.
Klock is one of two MTA national directors who
represent the state organization at the ABL level.
Steve Morris is the other.
Klock told the Montana Tavern Times that one
of the main issues he’ll focus on in his campaign is
opposing a recent recommendation by the National
Transportation Safety Board to reduce the blood-
Harry Klock
alcohol level that qualifies as
drunk driving to .05 percent
from .08 percent.
“We can’t let that happen,”
he said.
The ABL is the parent organization of the Montana Tavern
Association. It is the largest
national trade association dedicated to supporting and promoting the beverage alcohol retailers.
GIA elects officers, discusses threats
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
The Gaming Industry
Association of Montana elected
new officers, heard a review of the
recent legislative session, and discussed the threat of internet and
Change service requested: 914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
P A I D
Permit No. 120
Bozeman, MT 59718
mobile gambling at its Board of
Directors meeting at Fairmont May
15.
The board met at the conclusion of the GIA’s annual convention, which featured a fund-raising
poker tournament, industry party
and trade show. In the poker tournament, Thom Propp won first
prize and $1,300, while Blaine
Bowman earned second and $800.
The poker tournament raised about
$3,100 for the GIA.
The board’s first item of business was to elect its new officers
for the next two years. They are
Larry Davidson of the Crystal
Lounge in Billings, president;
Jason Palagi, Palagi’s Pub and
Casino in Billings, vice president;
and Mark Ehli of Big B Bingo in
Billings, treasurer (again).
GIA Executive Director Neil
Peterson thanked out-going presiSee GAMING Page 13
Montana Tavern Times – 2
June 2013
Yellowstone dinner attracts fun-lovin’ crowd
June 2013
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
The Yellowstone County
Tavern Association held its 39th
annual charity dinner on a beautiful spring evening May 14 with a
big crowd that gathered in the
Billings Hotel and Convention
Center to raise money and have
fun.
Jason Grubbs flawlessly and
efficiently performed his emcee
duties again this year, with plenty
of help from several members of
the local organization.
The delicious buffet dinner featured chicken, pork, shrimp and
roast beef as entrees.
A live auction featured six
items, including a couple of rifles,
a Big Horn River trip, and a
Cancun vacation, which sold for
$2,800. The silent auction
also attracted much interest,
as did the new bucket raffle,
which allowed dinner-goers
to buy raffle tickets and
drop them in a bucket at a
specific raffle item of their
choice.
Over $8,000 in cash
prizes was given away to
dinner-goers in the raffles
and Calcutta.
Among the fortunate
businesses and individuals
winning seats at the everpopular Calcutta was the
Cowboy Bar of Billings. In
fact, the bar was especially
fortunate, as it won two
seats at the Calcutta, and
thus had two chances to win
the big money. And that’s
exactly what happened. The
Cowboy Bar was the last
seat … standing, and won
the grand prize of $2,500.
Coming in second and
taking home $1,750 was Billings
Alarm, while the Montana Coin
Machine Operators Association
took third place and won $1,250.
Near the end of the event,
Grubbs saluted all who attended
and thanked the sponsors and ticket buyers for coming together to
raise money for local charities.
Over the years the YCTA has
helped dozens and dozens of local
and state charities. For example,
the organization has served food
for Muscular Dystrophy marathon,
provided coats to the Special
Olympics, donated helmets and
thermal imagers to local firefighters, and funded the local Fourth of
July fireworks show to the tune of
$20,000.
YCTA's charitable giving has
also has benefitted Easter Seals,
Tavern Taxi, Save-A-Life, MSU-B
Meth Conference, the Women's
Shelter, Multiple Sclerosis Walk
and many more.
Montana Tavern Times – 3
FOLKS ATTENDING the
Yellowstone County Tavern
Association dinner last
month in Billings had a great
time. They included raffleticket seller Lorna Stern,
right, of the Club 90, who
explains silent auction rules
to a couple of dinner-goers.
Below right are Brenda and
Bryce Clark, who were
perusing the silent auction
items.
Paul Tash photos
ENERGETIC AUTIONEER Rick
Kniepkamp, left, gets into his work
as he steps onto a chair.
EMCEE Jason Grubbs is
happy to present $2,500 to
Miranda Blatnick, representing the Cowboy Bar, winner
of the Calcutta.
KARI STREET and John
Kominsky, both of Gordy’s Casino,
have fun during the live auction.
Montana Tavern Times – 4
Tavern
Times
June 2013
Opinion/Editorial
MTA’s membership drive under way
By Chris Caldwell
MTA Administrator
The Montana Tavern
Association office has been
busy preparing the organization’s annual membership drive.
MTA members will receive their
renewal notice this month and
are asked to renew membership promptly, so we can send
membership materials to them
by July 1, the beginning of our
membership year.
We will be very busy with
convention details after the middle of July, and members
renewing after that time may
experience a delay in receiving
their membership materials.
Information on MTA membership will be sent out this
month to hospitality establishment owners who have not yet
joined the association. If you
aren’t a member of MTA,
please take time to read
through the information and
seriously consider the benefits
of membership.
After all, the MTA was created for the benefit and the betterment of those in the retail
liquor business. We have programs such as Workers
Compensation Insurance,
Property and Casualty
Insurance and Tips Training, all
offered at huge discounts only
to MTA members. You can save
many times your membership
fee by taking advantage of any
one of our benefit programs!
We want you to be involved
in your industry’s trade association. We need your support.
Help us represent you!
Chris Caldwell
Sell those tickets!
This year’s “On The
House*Pitality” brochures and
football mania tickets have
been distributed to many establishments across the state and
are available for sale. Get yours
now! This promotion entitles the
purchaser to 60 free drink tickets for taverns across the state.
Players will also be entered
in a football sweepstakes for
prizes generated from 17
weeks of the 2013 NFL football
season. Eleven prizes are
awarded each week, and a
Grand Prize is awarded at the
end of the season. A whole
season of fun for just $20 and
I
f you aren’t a
member of MTA,
please take time to
read the information
and seriously consider the benefits
of membership.
60 free drinks for just $20. You
can’t beat that.
For those tavern owners
wishing to participate in this
promotion by selling tickets,
please call or email me for
more information. There are
also incentives for the sellers.
Convention in Butte
Only three and half months
remain until the MTA’s 58th
annual MTA Convention and
Trade Show, set to run Sept. 912 at the Copper King Hotel in
Butte. Information about our
convention and trade show will
be sent to all retail licensees
within the next two weeks.
Plan to attend! There is
always much to do at our
Convention. We’ll have informational meetings, business meetings for members, golf and
poker tournaments, a local
attraction outing, lunches,
brunches, dinners and of
course our Trade Show.
The Trade Show gives you
the opportunity to see the
goods and services available to
you. You don’t need to be an
MTA member to attend the convention.
Convention information was
sent to prospective trade show
vendors in April and booth
spaces are filling up fast!
Vendors interested in participating in the Trade Show can call
me at (406) 442-5040 or email
me at [email protected]. I
will send you the information.
As always, if you have any
questions or need any information call or email me or, if an
MTA member, leave a message
on our Hot Line and I’ll call you.
Legislature, convention over, but stay involved
By Neil Peterson
GIA Executive Director
First things first, I would like
to thank all the GIA members
who took their valuable time to
attend the GIA annual convention last month. Also, thanks to
all the vendors who participated
in the Trade Show.
I also appreciate the legislators who came to the reception. It was a good time with
great conversation and delicious food.
I enjoyed playing in the
poker tournament Tuesday
(almost made the final table)
and then at the reception and
Trade Show later that night.
The staff at the Fairmont Hot
Springs Resort did an excellent
job – the food and service were
first rate.
Now that the legislative session has ended and the annual
convention is done, one might
think that it’s time to take a
W
Neil Peterson
break from the affairs of the
GIA.
However, now is not the
time to ignore industry issues.
We need to stay in touch with
our local legislators and remind
them of the issues that are
important to the hospitality
industry.
Now is the time to stay in
e need to stay
in touch with
our local legislators
and remind them of
the issues that are
important to the
hospitality industry.
touch with our statewide elected officials. Now is the time to
follow the activities of the
Gaming Advisory Council.
Issues are looming on the horizon that could have significant
impacts to our businesses.
For example, a number of
states are either in the process
of, or are considering, allowing
intra-state internet gaming.
Some would allow only poker,
but others would allow all types
of gaming to occur on the internet. These states see internet
gambling as a much-needed
revenue source to help shore
up their budgets.
In addition, there has been a
recent call at the national level
to further lower the blood alcohol level for DUI from .08 to .05.
Things don’t just stop happening once the Legislature is
done. Everyone involved in the
industry needs to keep doing
their part to educate policy
makers on the impacts these
and other subjects have on the
hospitality industry in Montana.
Please take the time to visit
with the policy makers in your
area. Everyone working together will make Montana a better
place to do business, not just
for the hospitality industry, but
all businesses in Montana.
June 2013
Tavern
Times
Montana Tavern Times – 5
Opinion/Editorial
New legislation changes liquor laws
By Steve Swanson
Liquor Control Division
Five bills that affect the alcoholic beverage industry in
Montana passed the 2013
Legislative Session. Listed
below are brief summaries of
those five bills. As the
Department of Revenue transitions into administering this new
legislation, we will propose
administrative rules to inform
the public and the alcoholic
beverage industry of these
statute changes.
SB 12 INCREASES THE
NUMBER OF ALL-BEVERAGE
LIQUOR LICENSES AN
INDIVIDUAL MAY HAVE FROM
ONE TO THREE
Sponsored by Sen. Ed
Buttrey, Senate Bill 120 increases, from one to three, the number of all-beverage licenses in
which an individual may possess an ownership interest.
This bill takes effect Oct. 1,
2013.
In addition, the bill prevents
an individual from having an
interest in more than half the
total number of allowable allbeverage licenses in any quota
area. For example, if the quota
area allows for five all-beverage
licenses, an individual is limited
to two of those licenses.
The bill also prevents two or
more individuals who have a
business or family relationship
and share in the profits or liabilities of all-beverage licenses
from holding half the total number of allowable all-beverage
licenses in the quota area.
Individuals pursuing additional licenses may begin submitting the necessary paperwork to the department on July
1. However, approval will not
occur until at least Oct. 1.
HB 524 REVISES
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
RETAIL SALE OF BEER OR
WINE FOR OFF-PREMISES
CONSUMPTION
Sponsored by Rep. Christy
Clark, House Bill 524 revises
the requirements an establishment must meet to qualify for a
retail license to sell beer, table
wine or both for off-premises
consumption.
Currently, to qualify for an
off-premises beer and/or table
wine license, an establishment
has to operate as a bona fide
grocery store or as a pharmacylicensed drugstore.
When HB 524 takes effect
on Oct. 1, 2013, establishments
can sell beer and/or table wine
for off-premises consumption
without operating as a bona fide
grocery store or as pharmacylicensed drugstore. However, if
the establishment operates in
conjunction with another business, that business must be a
grocery store or drugstore
licensed as a pharmacy.
The department is in the
process of updating current
forms and intends to start
accepting applications on Aug.
15. However, approval will not
occur until at least Oct. 1.
Steve Swanson
HB 402 CHANGES LICENSING
AND REGULATION OF
WINERIES SELLING AND
SHIPPING WINE DIRECTLY
TO CONSUMERS
Sponsored by Rep. Chuck
Hunter, HB 402 creates a direct
shipment endorsement for
wineries licensed or registered
in Montana. It takes effect Oct.
1, 2013.
This endorsement applies to
both in-state and out-of-state
wineries and allows them to sell
up to 18 nine-liter cases of
table wine annually to individuals over the age of 21 for personal use. The endorsement
costs a winery $50 a year.
Wineries that hold a direct shipment endorsement will be
required to report and pay tax
monthly on table wine directly
shipped to consumers.
HB 402 also eliminates the
wine connoisseur’s license and
the combined beer and wine
connoisseur’s license. The beer
connoisseur’s license will
remain in statute.
Because the bill takes effect
on the same day the foreign
winery licensing period begins,
foreign wineries will be able to
apply for the direct shipment
endorsement on their 20132014 renewal form, which goes
out in mid-August.
Domestic winery licenses
expire on Jun 30, 2013, two
months before the bill takes
effect. That means domestic
wineries will not be able to
apply for the direct shipment
endorsement on their 20132014 renewal form, which goes
out in mid-May. We will give all
domestic wineries the opportunity to apply for the endorsement prior to Oct. 1 and notify
them of this as we near that
A
letter was sent
to all current
wine connoisseur
licensees in midMay, providing
more information
on law changes.
date.
Wine connoisseurs will have
the option to let lapse their
license that expires on June 30
or renew their license for the
short three-month period of July
1 to Sept. 30. Wine connoisseur
licensees will still need to report
and pay the tax for shipments
received during this period.
A letter was sent to all current wine connoisseur licensees
in mid-May, providing more
information on the law changes.
SB 294 GENERALLY REVISES
ALCOHOL ENFORCEMENT
LAWS REGARDING PENALTIES
Sponsored by Sen. Elsie
Arntzen, Senate Bill 294 authorizes the Department of
Revenue to adjust penalties
related to violations by a
licensed brewer, winery, wholesaler, or retailer based on mitigating and aggravating circumstances. The bill takes effect
Oct. 1, 2013.
The bill gives examples of
both mitigating and aggravating
circumstances for the department to consider.
Examples of mitigating circumstances include:
• There have been no violations by the licensee within the
past three years;
• There have been good
faith efforts by the licensee to
prevent a violation;
• Written policies exist that
govern the conduct of the
licensee’s employees;
• There has been cooperation in the investigation of the
violation that shows the licensee, employee, or agent accepts
responsibility;
• The investigation was not
based on complaints received
or on observed misconduct, but
was based solely on the investigating authority creating the
opportunity for a violation; or
• The licensee has provided
responsible alcohol server training to all of their employees.
Examples of aggravating circumstances include:
• Prior warnings about compliance problems;
• Prior violations within the
past three years;
• Lack of written policies
governing employee conduct;
• Multiple violations during
the course of the investigation;
• Efforts to conceal a violation;
• The intentional nature of
the violation; or
• Involvement of more than
one patron or employee in a
violation.
The bill does not require the
department to take a specific
action based on any of these
circumstances, but allows the
department to consider them as
the violation is reviewed.
SB 266 REVISES
LAWS RELATED TO
SACRAMENTAL WINE
Sponsored by Sen. Matt
Rosendale, Senate Bill 266
takes effect July 1, 2013 and
allows the department to issue
a sacramental wine license to
an establishment located in or
outside of Montana that sells
church supplies, including
sacramental wine at retail to
priests, pastors or other church
officials for religious purposes.
The bill prohibits the sacramental wine licensee from selling
sacramental wine to the public.
The bill also allows table
See LIQUOR Page 7
Montana Tavern Times – 6
Tavern
Times
June 2013
Opinion/Editorial
Let’s review rules for raffles, house players
By Dave Jeseritz
Gambling Control Division
Questions about two separate topics, raffles and the use
of house players in live poker
games, have come in to the
Investigations Bureau in the
past few months, so I want to
address those topics with this
column.
Raffles
Raffles are a gambling activity regulated by the Gambling
Control Division. This activity,
however, does not require a
gambling operator’s license or a
permit. Before offering a raffle,
the person or organization
should read the statutes and
rules, and then call our office
with any questions or clarifications:
1. A person or organization
must own all prizes prior to selling any tickets. The value of the
prize awarded for an individual
ticket may not exceed $5,000.
There is a distinction in the law
for non-profit organizations.
2. Non-profit organizations,
colleges, universities, public
school districts, and non-public
school districts do not need to
comply with the provisions
above. They must, however,
use the proceeds only for charitable purposes or to pay for
prizes and may not use the proceeds for the administrative
costs of conducting the raffle.
These raffles must also be publically identified as a charitable
raffle.
3. All raffle terms, including
the date of the raffle drawing,
must be available to the public
prior to the sale of any raffle
tickets. The sale of raffle tickets
is limited to the geographical
confines of the state. The raffle
may be announced or promoted
over the Internet, but the sale of
tickets may not be conducted
over the Internet, and the
Internet ad must state this
restriction.
4. A person under 18 years
of age may sell or buy tickets
for or receive prizes from a raf-
Dave Jeseritz
fle if the proceeds are used to
support charitable activities,
scholarships or educational
grants, or community service
projects.
5. 50/50 tickets are considered a raffle and the above
rules apply.
For 12 months from the date
of the raffle drawing, the entity
conducting the raffle must maintain records and provide to the
department upon request those
records per ARM 23.16.2602.
A Tash Communications Publication
Tavern Times Business and News Office:
914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701
• TEL: 406-782-3660 • FAX: 406-494-1324 • E-MAIL: [email protected]
Paul Tash, Editor/Publisher • [email protected]
Office phone: 406-782-3660 • Cell: 406-491-0100
Paul Vang, Contributing Writer • [email protected]
Phone 406-494-5736
Ad Production • [email protected]
Reprints of articles and back issues are available at a cost of $10.
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This publication has been endorsed by the Montana Tavern Association
House players
Some questions about how
to use house players have
come up lately. While we are
working to clarify the rules pertaining to their use, three reference points are worth mentioning, and all three are found on
the Gambling Control Division
website.
A. MCA 23-5-325 states:
(1) the department shall provide rules to regulate the use of
house players by licensed oper-
B
efore offering a
raffle, the person or organization
should read the
statutes and rules,
then call our office
with any questions.
ators and licensed card room
contractors.
(2) House players may be
used only for the purpose of
starting a card game or maintaining a sufficient number of
players in a card game.
(3) Any chips or money
advanced by an operator, card
room contractor, or dealer to a
house player may not become
a debt of the player.
(4) The operator, card room
contractor, or dealer shall identify house players upon request.
B. Administrative Rule
23.16.1225 addresses house
players as well:
(1) The operator, card room
contractor, or dealer must identify house players upon request.
(2) House players may be
used by the operator or card
room contractor only for the
purpose of starting and/or maintaining sufficient number of
players in the card game.
C. Finally, if you look on the
State of Montana Gambling
Regulation/Gambling Laws &
Administrative Rules at the bottom of the web page, you will
see an advisory concerning
house players and credit gambling. It states:
It is legal for gambling operators to sell chips for cash, or
give chips to a house player
with an arrangement to split
winnings. Gambling operators
may not provide chips on the
basis of chits or loans, or any
arrangement where the money
to purchase chips is exchanged
after the gambling activity
begins.
The questions we’ve
received lately revolve around
the repaying of chips and the
splitting of winnings. While we
will clarify this issue further in
our upcoming rule changes, the
current opinion/language clearly
states that operators MAY NOT
require house players to repay
the chips provided to start up a
game or maintain the number of
players in the game. They can
only make an agreement to split
any winnings above and
beyond the start-up chips.
For example, say Johnny
was given $100 in chips to be
the house player, and he won
an additional $40 during the
poker game for a total of $140.
If the winnings to be split with
the operator was pre-arranged
at 50/50, the player receives
$20 and the operator receives
$20. The player retains the
$100 in start-up money for a
total of $120.
If Johnny isn’t so lucky and
loses $75 out of the $100, he
leaves with $25 in his pocket
and no debt to the operator
because an agreement to repay
the startup money is illegal.
The potential issue then
becomes, can an operator or
card room contractor refuse to
allow Johnny to be a house
player in the future if Johnny
doesn’t “donate” his start-up
chips back to the operator or
card room contractor? This is
an issue that needs further discussion with the Gambling
Advisory Committee so that
everyone is using their house
players the way they are intended to be used.
For more information,
please call our office at (406)
444-1971 or email [email protected].
(https://doj.mt.gov/gaming/gambling-laws-administrative-rules)
C l a s s i f i e d A d s g e t FA S T r e s u l t s !
406-782-3660
June 2013
Montana Tavern Times – 7
Tavern
Times
Opinion/Editorial
New laws affect business tax, UI regulation
T
By Ronda Wiggers
MCMOA lobbyist
While we were focusing on
poker and micro-brewery legislation, the 2013 Legislature made
a few changes to other laws that
may affect your business.
The first change you will likely notice will be a lowering of
your business equipment taxes
on your next tax bill. Under the
old law, if a business had
$19,999 of business equipment,
they were exempt from this tax.
However, if a similar business
down the street had $20,001 in
business equipment value, they were taxed
on the entire amount. The newly passed
legislation will make the first $100,000 of
business equipment truly exempt from tax
for everyone.
The second change in business equipment tax law will likely not affect most of
you. Under current law, beginning in 2013, if
He began by adding language
to the definition of misconduct
that allows an employer to terminate an employee and not have
them collect on their unemployment policy. He included, among
other things, breaking existing
rules, refusal to follow reasonable directions and job performance that may harm the employer’s business.
He then brought a second
bill to clearly state that if an
employee is terminated for misconduct, any benefits that they
Ronda Wiggers
receive cannot be charged to
the total value of your business equipment
the employer’s account.
is less than $3 million, you are taxed at 1.5
Finally, although they did not pass a
percent, everything over that is taxed at 3
bonding bill, the Legislature did approve
percent. The new law will increase this
over $49 million in statewide building and
threshold to $6 million beginning in 2014.
infrastructure projects. These should
Sen. Ed Buttrey from Great Falls worked employ our local craftsmen and give our
customers a bit of extra change to spend on
on a number of changes to unemployment
entertainment.
insurance regulations.
he newly passed
legislation will
make the first
$100,000 of business equipment truly
exempt from tax for
everyone.
Liquor
from Page 5
wine distributors the ability to
sell sacramental wine to retailers that are licensed to carry
the product. The bill defines
sacramental wine as wine containing not more than 24 percent alcohol by volume and is
manufactured and sold exclusively for use as sacramental
wine or for other religious purposes.
The bill allows a sacramental wine licensee to deliver the
sacramental wine to a religious
organization using the
licensee’s own employees and
equipment or by contracting
with a licensed table wine distributor or common carrier.
Sacramental wine shipped by a
common carrier must be properly marked with the following
statement: “Wine Shipment
from Sacramental Wine
Licensee for Religious
Purposes Only. Contains
Alcohol: Signature of Person 21
Years of Age or Older Required
for Delivery.”
An out-of-state sacramental
wine licensee is responsible for
reporting and paying the tax on
any shipments of sacramental
wine made to religious organizations. A foreign winery that
ships sacramental wine to instate sacramental wine
licensees is responsible for
reporting and paying the tax on
any shipment of sacramental
wine.
Lastly, a table wine distributor that ships sacramental wine
to in-state sacramental wine
licensees or retailers is responsible for reporting and tax payment.
The department is currently
updating the Sacramental Wine
License application and plans
to have it available by July 1.
Write us
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Letters must include the writer’s name and address. The
word limit is 300. Mail to Montana Tavern Times, 914
Holmes Ave., Butte 59701, or you can email us at
[email protected]. The Times reserves the
right not to print letters it finds objectionable.
Tavern Timetable
June 28
July 16
Sept. 9-12
— UPCOMING EVENTS —
Gaming Advisory Council, GCD office, Helena
Tri-County TA annual dinner, Helena, Fox Ridge GC
MTA annual convention, Copper King, Butte
— STANDING DATES —
2nd Tues. of month
1st & 3rd Wed. month
Third Tue. of month
Quarterly (call)
1st Thurs. of month
2nd Wed. of month
2nd Wed. of month
2nd Tues. of month
1st Tues. of quarter
3rd Thurs. of month
Last Tues. of month
2nd Thurs of month
2nd Thur. of month
3rd Wed. of month
Last Wed. of month
1st Mon. of month
2nd Tues. of month
1st Tues. of month
Carbon/Stillwater TA 237-9844
Cascade Co. TA 453-9567
Central Montana TA 868-4693
Flathead Co. TA 270-8069
Hi-Line TA 265-9551
Lake Co. TA 883-2553
Lincoln Co. TA 293-4493
Miles City TA 234-3164
Missoula Co. TA 728-0030
Park County TA 222-0665
Ravalli Co. TA 821-1853
Richland Co. TA 433-4354
Sheridan-Richland-Daniels 474-2358
Silver Bow TA 494-6062
Southwest Montana TA 835-2150
Toole Co. TA 434-2442
Tri-County LBA 475-9560
Yellowstone TA 656-3991
Montana Tavern Times – 8
June 2013
Summit Gaming brings back R&D team
Summit Gaming has relocated its research
and development team back to Billings,
according to a company news release.
Summit Gaming will be adding new
games to all of its product lines, which
includes “the workhorse of the Montana gaming industry,” the Royal Touch, the release
said.
Summit Gaming has the largest market
share of machines in Montana and provides
“the best quality products and service to the
Montana customers,” the company said.
“Check out our website at www.summitgamingmt.com and like our Facebook page
for upcoming announcements,” the release
said.
Summit Gaming is now part of FortuNet,
one of the nation’s largest electronic bingo
manufacturers and distributors. Late last year
FortuNet purchased GameTech International,
which was Summit’s parent company.
GameTech had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2012.
The purchase held great interest in the
Montana market because Summit Gaming
claims about 32 percent market share, with
about 5,000 machines, in the state.
MTA panel supports educational material
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
The Montana Tavern
Association’s Legislative and
Gambling Committee reviewed the
results of the recently concluded
2013 Legislature, formed a subcommittee to work on a brewerylicensing compromise, and agreed
to develop material to help educate
lawmakers and the public about
tavern-related issues during a
meeting May 1 in Helena.
MTA lobbyist John Iverson
provided a quick recap of the session, with the most time spent on
controversial House Bill 616 that
would have revised brewery licensing and defined how Montana
breweries can retail their beer on
premises. The bill also would have
allowed licensed brew-pub style
breweries for the first time in
Montana, an idea that many brewers supported. The House
Business and Labor Committee
tabled HB 616, sponsored by Rep.
Roger Hagan, R-Great Falls.
Iverson said the MTA, Hagan,
and many others “worked hard to
craft legislation that everybody
could be on-board with.”
The final proposal “that many
brewers supported” was derailed,
Iverson said, with pressure from a
poorly informed “social media
train that took off.”
“Nobody was driving that
train,” he added.
Social media’s threats of boycotts aimed at breweries that supported HB 616 were a “disservice
to a lot of brewers,” Iverson said.
The HB 616 was unfairly
branded an “anti-brewery bill,” he
said, adding that the bill was
“more than reasonable” to the
brewing industry.
HB 616 would have allowed
brewers who want to focus on
retailing their beer on premises to
purchase any current beer license
or all-beverage license on the market at market price and receive all
the privileges that come with that
license. If no beer license or allbeverage license is available for a
brewer to purchase, HB 616 would
have allowed brewers to buy a
MTA LOBBYIST John Iverson, center, explains
some legislation during a meeting of the MTA’s
new-issue beer license for
$100,000 that would have allowed
full beer-retailing privileges with
no “sample-room” restrictions.
The bill also would have allowed
current license holders to begin
brewing beer for retail sale, if they
chose to.
The measure would have
allowed brewers who chose not to
buy a retail license to sell a limited
amount of beer on premise, including 100 percent of the first 300
barrels. The brewers also would
have been able to sell 40 percent of
barrels 301 through 10,000 – thus
wholesaling the remaining 60 percent.
The on-premise beer selling by
brewers has become an issue
recently as some new breweries are
selling all or nearly all of their beer
on premises, and not wholesaling it
as Montana law intends. Hagan,
the MTA, and other supporters
have argued that these breweries
are defacto bars without the restrictions and investments that licensed
bars have.
Despite the bill’s demise,
Paul Tash photo
Legislative and Gambling Committee last month.
With him are Chris Caldwell and Steve Morris.
Iverson said “the tavern association
did a wonderful job” supporting
the measure, especially at the
House committee’s hearing on the
bill.
Committee members agreed
that the brewery issue still needs
resolution, and formed a subcommittee led by Iverson to work with
the breweries and other interested
parties to fashion a compromise for
introduction in the 2015 legislative
session.
The Legislative and Gambling
Committee also agreed to develop
some printed materials to better
educate legislators and the public
on MTA-related issues.
The decision came after comments from Iverson about how difficult it was to discuss important
tavern-related topics with legislators who didn’t understand the tavern business at all.
Iverson said “term limits drastically changed” the approach by
many lobbyists, who must explain
their issues from the beginning to
dozens of new legislators each ses-
sion. Specifically, Iverson said, he
found a “massive amount of confusion” regarding the liquor-licensing
system.
“I spent half the time explaining the current system” before
even beginning to explain potential
changes to it while pushing for HB
616, he said.
“I was constantly in education
mode,” he said.
Longtime MTA member
Darrell Keck agreed.
“People don’t understand the
business,” he said.
Iverson said the MTA’s legislative forums before each session are
helpful, but more needs to be done.
He said an “educational pamphlet”
targeted at lawmakers and the public would be beneficial, and the
committee endorsed the plan.
Member Mike Hope said the
brochure should be part of an even
larger public relations effort that
touts all the good Montana tavern
owners provide, such as the
immense economic benefits and
the great many community donations.
June 2013
Montana Tavern Times – 9
Montana Tavern Times – 10
June 2013
June 2013
Board
from Page 1
try isn’t always good because people “don’t understand the (liquor
license) quota system.”
He urged the MTA to increase
its efforts to educate state lawmakers and the public on its issues.
And, he said, it’s vital for tavern
owners to get to know their local
legislators and educate them on the
licensing system before they get to
Helena.
“You need to know them,” he
said, “and they need to know you.
I’m here to help.”
Hagan lauded the MTA for its
public support of his bill, noting
that 28 people testified for the bill
at a House committee hearing.
“It was a pleasure for me to
work with you,” he told the MTA
board.
Hagan also praised MTA lobbyist John Iverson.
“He did a hell of a job this session. I enjoyed working with him.”
Committee reports
Earlier in the meeting, committee chairpersons reported to the
executive board. Giving the
Budget and Finance Committee,
Mary Jane Heisler told the board
that the budget depends on MTA
members aggressively selling tickets for the On the House*Pitality
fundraiser (Football Mania).
“We need to get out and sell
those,” she said.
Bobby Lincoln reiterated the
need to sell the tickets in his Public
Relations Committee report that
followed.
“It’s important for us to sell
them all,” he said.
He reminded the board about
the ticket-selling incentives for
bartenders, who receive $1 for
each ticket they sell and are
entered into drawings for $500 for
each 10 tickets they sell.
“Get your crew together to
educate them (on the promotion),”
Lincoln said.
The On the House*Pitality
fundraiser entitles buyers of a $20
ticket to the 60 free drink tickets
from taverns across Montana. In
addition, the ticket automatically
enters the buyer in the “Football
Mania” sweepstakes, where players participate each of the 17
weeks of the National Football
League season with randomly chosen NFL teams. Each week the
ticket holder’s card lists three
teams, and holders of the eight
highest and three lowest team point
totals win cash prizes.
Giving the National Directors
report, Harry Klock told the board
that American Beverage Licensees
(ABL) convention will run June 911 in Washington, D.C. The parent
organization of the Montana
Tavern Association, the ABL is
the largest national trade association dedicated to supporting and
promoting the beverage alcohol
retail community.
Thank You!
for making the annual GIA Convention a Great
Success! Thank you to:
• All members who
participated in
the fun and
business discussions.
• All suppliers
who showed
your equipment
and services to
GIA members at our
trade show.
Much was accomplished ...
See you next year!
– Neil Peterson, GIA Executive Director
“It’s going to be a fun time,”
he said of the conference.”There’s
lots to do in Washington, D.C. I’m
urging people to attend.”
Klock said the ABL is working
on a new strategic plan, which it
does every five years. The ABL is
pondering the possibility of hiring
a lobbyist and public relations
firm, he said.
Issues on the ABL’s radar, he
added, include ignition interlock
for multiple drunk driving offenses, an Obama proposal to raise the
national minimum wage to $9 from
$7.25, and the potential of lowering the drinking age for some, such
as military personnel 18-20 and
those 18-20 drinking with a legal
spouse or parent.
Smoking rooms
In other business, MTA member Tom Heisler told the board that
a judge has recently denied the
county attorney’s request for an
Montana Tavern Times – 11
injunction to stop “smoking
rooms” attached to casinos in
Great Falls.
The local Cascade Tavern
Association has joined a group
formed to oppose those smoking
rooms. The group, Heisler said,
hired an attorney to shut down the
smoking rooms by defending the
Montana Clean Indoor Air Act,
which created the statewide smoking ban that went into effect for
taverns and casinos in October
2009.
A lawsuit has been filed in the
case, but a court date had not been
set at the time of the board meeting.
Opposition to the smoking
rooms has developed because
opponents believe the rooms are
illegal and create an unfair playing
field for the majority of operators
who are abiding by the Clean
Indoor Air Act.
“The MTA has to win this
case,” Heisler said.
PR committee promotes MTA fundraiser
Montana Tavern Times – 12
June 2013
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
The MTA’s Public Relations
Committee worked on ways to promote the Montana Tavern
Association’s main fundraiser at its
quarterly meeting May 1 in
Helena.
The committee discussed the
importance of getting MTA members statewide to sell tickets for the
On the House*Pitality promotion.
“We need this money for our
budget,” said MTA President
JoAnn Fuller.
The On the House*Pitality
fundraiser entitles buyers of a $20
ticket to the 60 free drink tickets
from taverns across Montana. In
addition, the ticket automatically
enters the buyer in the “Football
Mania” sweepstakes, where players participate each of the 17
weeks of the National Football
League season with randomly chosen NFL teams. Each week the
ticket holder’s card lists three
teams, and holders of the eight
highest and three lowest team point
totals win cash prizes.
MTA Administrator Chris
Caldwell also emphasized the
importance of the promotion to the
tavern association’s budget, urging
MTA members to get excited about
selling the tickets.
Paul Tash photo
JOHN IVERSON, MTA lobbyist, addresses a question before the
Public Relations Committee as Mary Jane Heisler looks on.
Tavern owners, she said,
should “sit down with their bartenders” and explain the promotion.
“That’s really key,” she said.
Bartenders have major incentives to push the tickets – they earn
$1 for every ticket they sell, plus
they are entered into a drawing for
$500 for every 10 tickets they sell.
And there are five of those $500
drawings.
Though 2,012 tickets were sold
last year, the PR committee is hoping to double that amount this year.
Mark this date on your calendar
Tuesday,
July 16th
...and plan on attending the
Tri-County Tavern Association
Summer Daze
Red Fox Supper Club
4050 Fox Ridge Drive
$150 per couple
Cocktails 6 p.m. Dinner 7 p.m.
Lewis & Clark
Broadwater
Jefferson
For tickets, call 406-442-5040
Fun, food, prizes and the big money give-away
The MTA office, Caldwell said,
is working to get the local MTA
associations “on board.”
“A lot of them stepped up last
year,” she said.
Caldwell said participating taverns are provided a spreadsheet
each week for them to post scores
and keep track of winners. Not
only will the spreadsheet provide
information to the players, she
said, “but it will generate competition and interest in your bar.”
A code on the back of each
ticket that can be read by smart
phones allows players to track the
winning point totals.
Posters are available to help
tavern owners sell tickets to their
patrons.
Social media presence
The PR committee also discussed the need to develop a
social-media presence for the
organization, such as developing
and managing a Facebook page
and Twitter account.
Caldwell told the group that
“with some work we can do it inhouse.”
The MTA office, Caldwell said,
plans to have the office assistant
manage social media “as part of
their duties.”
The social media became an
issue with the MTA during the
recent legislative session, MTA
lobbyist John Iverson told the
group.
He said that during the MTA’s
effort to pass legislation to define
how Montana breweries can retail
their beer on premise, a misinformed group of brewery supporters took to social media and created a firestorm that severely hindered attempts to work out a solution to the brew-selling issue.
Even the Montana Brewery
Association lost control of the
message, Iverson said.
“Social media got away from
them,” he said, that eventually sabotaged a sound compromise that
many brewers favored.
The MTA, he suggested,
should develop a “systematic,
rationale” social media plan that
can “effectively communicate our
message.”
Shriner’s fundraiser
Finally, the committee gave
longtime MTA member and
Shriner John Hayes authority to
again run a fundraiser in conjunction with the Montana Shrine football game, which raises money and
awareness for the Shriner’s
Hospital for Children in Spokane.
Hayes said participating taverns across Montana are accepting
donations for the Shriner’s organization, and donators can sign their
name to a paper football to be
posted at the bar.
The 67th annual Montana EastWest Shrine Football Game will be
played July 20 in Butte. The MTA
will make a presentation at the
game announcing its total donation, Hayes said. Taverns interested
in participating should contact
Hayes at (406) 590-5646 or
[email protected].
Information and the symbolic footballs will be sent out.
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Montana Tavern Times – 13
Gaming
from Page 1
dent Stuart Ellison, of Jackrabbit
Red’s Casinos in Belgrade, “for his
willingness to step up to help out
the GIA.”
Term-limit effects
Peterson then reviewed some
of the legislation affecting the
state’s gaming operators. He told
the group term limits really affected this year’s Legislature, as 60 of
the 150 legislators were new.
Most had “no understanding of
liquor law,” he said.
What happens sometimes in
that situation, Peterson added, is
that a legislator will craft a bill
based on “one constituent’s
request” rather than solid understanding of the issue.
“It’s not a good way to make
public policy,” he said.
He added that the gaming and
tavern businesses have to work
hard in the interim to educate lawmakers on the liquor-licensing system, so that tavern and casino
operators who have been “playing
by the rules forever” don’t get hurt
by careless legislation.
Peterson said that among the
industry-related bills passed by the
Legislature is House Bill 141,
which was the Gaming Advisory
Council’s measure. Among other
things, the bill enhanced live poker
tournaments in an effort to spur
play for table operators and stimulate economic growth for local
communities and raised the permit
fee on gaming machines $20 to
$240. (See May’s edition of the
Montana Tavern Times for details
on the new live-poker enhancements).
Another bill that is now law,
Peterson said, is House Bill 355,
which ended up as a compromise
to eliminating the “look-back”
period to determine multiple DUIs.
The Legislature extended the lookback period to 10 years, from the
POKER WINNER Thom Propp, right,
accepts his trophy from poker tournament
director Sandy Jones at the GIA Board of
Directors meeting last month.
Below, Neil Peterson reviews recent
legislation as outgoing president Stuart
Ellison, center, and incoming president
Larry Davidson listen.
current 5 years, but rejected an
attempt to completely eliminate
any sort of time limit to look for a
person’s DUIs.
Also passing was Senate Bill
120, which increased from one to
three the number of liquor licenses
an individual can have.
The new law “could have a
positive impact on the ability to
sell licenses,” Peterson said.
Internet threat
The board later shifted attention to the threat of mobile technology and internet gambling during a discussion on potential industry-improving legislation for the
2015 Legislature. Several states,
including Nevada and California,
have approved some sort of “intrastate” gambling via the internet.
Though internet gambling is
currently illegal in Montana, Tim
Carson said “technology is the
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biggest threat” to gaming machine
businesses.
“We’ve got to pay attention to
it,” he said.
Kent Frampton agreed.
“We need to come out strongly
against this,” he said.
Several members said the
Montana Lottery has the potential
not only to push for internet gambling, but to become competitors
in the general gaming arena in
Montana, as well.
The Lottery’s internet games
shake-a-day and Blackjack are
examples of unfair competition
already, Ellison said.
“They have Blackjack,” Thom
Propp agreed. “Blackjack is illegal
for us.”
Propp also brought up the
threat of mobile gaming.
“Every big operator is really
pushing mobile gaming … on
smart phones,” he said.
Paul Tash photos
“That’s how the new generation is going to learn to gamble,”
Joel Kittleson added.
So the challenge is, Propp said,
“how do we get them back” in our
casinos.
“It’s about co-existing,” he
said. “Current operators have to try
to benefit” from technology, too,
he said.
Board members readily agreed,
though, that Montana is still a
good place to do business.
“Montana is still the best place
to operate machines in North
America,” Carson added.
In the end, the board agreed to
form a subcommittee to meet with
state regulators to express the
GIA’s continued opposition to
internet gaming and its concern
with the Lottery.
The board also set its next
meeting for Thursday, Sept. 19, in
Helena.
Montana Tavern Times – 14
June 2013
Liquor Biz
Head of largest spirits company resigns
By Paul Vang
Montana Tavern Times
After 13 years at the helm of
Diageo, Paul Walsh, Chief
Executive Officer, is retiring from
the world’s largest spirits company,
with Chief Operating Officer Ivan
Menezes succeeding him on July
1.
According to a Wall Street
Journal feature, Walsh gets credit
for transforming Diageo from a
conglomerate with food interests
such as Burger King, to a “tightly
focused alcoholic drinks firm.”
Company Chairman Franz B.
Humer commented, “Mr. Walsh
has served our business, its shareholders, employees and partners
with enormous imagination and
dedication over the past 13 years.”
Menezes became the heir
apparent after assuming the position of chief operating officer in
2012. He was previously president
of North American operations and
chairman of the company’s AsiaPacific, Latin America and
Caribbean businesses.
A Financial Times report suggests that Menezes will shift
Diageo’s focus away from acquisitions and turn to growing the existing business interests of the company. On the other hand, Menezes
says, that “does not mean acquisitions are off the table.”
“We evaluate everything and
have the balance sheet to move on
targets if they make sense.”
In other words, if you’ve got
something Diageo would like to
have in its portfolio, it’ll still be
business as usual.
DOJ flexing muscle
As the Anheuser-Busch InBev
deal to acquire Mexico’s Grupo
Modelo inched towards final completion, legal observers viewed the
deal as an illustration of the
Department of Justice’s new
antitrust chief Bill Baer’s willingness to flex some litigation muscle.
According to an online law
journal report from Law 360, the
case should serve as a warning to
other companies preparing for a
Bud to repackage
merger that the Department of
Justice (DOJ) will be taking a
close look at antitrust issues. Even
if the preliminary deal addresses
monopoly issues, described as a
“fix-it-first” strategy, DOJ may
still take a long look at the deal
and could impose additional measures.
In the AB InBev-Modelo deal,
the sale of Modelo’s Piedras
Negras brewery to Constellation
now includes requirements that
Constellation make an expansion
plan so that the plant can supply all
of the beer for U.S. demand for
Modelo’s brews within a three year
period.
The whole case illustrates that
in future mergers, DOJ “may be
willing to use the threat of holding
up a deal in litigation for months in
order to get the remedies it wants.”
The sale of Modelo’s U.S.
rights to Constellation Brands, will
affect some Anheuser-Busch distributors, according to a St. Louis
Today report. The settlement
allows Constellation Brands to end
Corona distribution rights to A-Bowned distributors. For a period of
two years, starting in April 2014,
Constellation can request A-B to
sell those rights to another party,
and if A-B buys a distributor that
sells Corona during that period,
Constellation can force the brewer
to sell those distribution rights.
In addition, when A-B works
with independent distributors, A-B
can’t hold Modelo distribution
against a distributor when determining exclusivity, or make any
changes in incentive programs that
would affect how Modelo is treated.
Starting this month, according
to Time magazine, Budweiser will
come out in a new can design that
has all sorts of wonderful features,
such as fewer calories.
And how do they reduce calories? Easy, use a smaller can. The
cans will have a “bowtie” shaped
can, with a slight angle to the center. The can will have 137 calories
in the beer, 8.5 fewer than the old
can, with the catch that the bowtie
can will hold just 11.3 ounces of
beer.
The report compares the
repackaging to the “shrink ray,” as
advocacy site, Consumerist.com
calls it, when cereal boxes, bags of
chips, ice cream cartons, and other
goods are repackaged in a way to
fool customers into thinking
they’re still getting the same
amount of product, even though
packages hold less. It’s a way to
boost revenues without appearing
to raise prices.
The redesigned cans will be
sold in 8-packs rather than 6packs. The can will be made with
double the amount of aluminum as
the old can, so that it will feel a little heavier, so a can holding 11.3
ounces of beer won’t seem lighter
than a 12-ounce can.
An A-B spokesman says,
“We’re consciously trying to bring
innovation to the packaging side.”
The Time report concludes that perhaps younger drinkers who have
been disinclined to choose
Budweiser will “like the new
bowtie cans. After all, there’s less
Bud to drink inside each one.”
PepsiCo merger?
PepsiCo, the soft drinks giant
and also owner of Fritolay,
Tropicana, Quaker and Gatorade
brands, is reportedly in merger
talks with another multinational,
Mondelez, according to a JustDrinks report.
Mondelez owns brands such as
Oreo, Ritz, Nabisco, Toblerone,
Cadbury, Gevalia, Tang, and
Philadelphia Cream Cheese.
A Bernstein analyst said that if
a merger were to happen,
Mondelez might sell off the beverage business, or PepsiCo could
become a standalone company. If
PepsiCo goes on the market,
Anheuser-Busch could be a potential buyer.
An elephant did what?
A couple months ago I did
some beer tasting while on a visit
to Germany. For centuries, most
German beer-making has been
under the guidelines of the
Reinheitsgebot, or German Beer
Purity Law governing brewing. As
adopted in the former duchy of
Bavaria in 1516, the only ingredients that can be used in the production of beer are water, barley and
hops.
The old law has since been
modified to allow yeast, wheat
malt and cane sugar. We’ll note
that yeast wasn’t understood back
in the 1500s. Brewers generally
took some sediment from one beer
batch and added it to the next, or
relied on natural airborne yeast in
inoculate the brew. It took the
work of a Frenchman, Louis
Pasteur in the 1800s, to figure out
the actual science behind fermentation.
While the old Reinheitsgebot
might be relaxed a bit from the old
days, I somehow doubt that many
German brewers will be trying the
beer recipe for the brew just
released from a Japanese brewery.
As reported in the drinks business, a Japanese brewer created a
beer using a rather exotic ingredient: elephant dung. Specifically,
they used coffee beans that have
gone through an elephant in a
batch of chocolate stout. Stouts
and porters often have coffee-like
flavors and sometimes real coffee,
such as this one. The coffee beans
come from elephants in Thailand.
It’s an expensive process, as it
takes 33 kilograms of beans to
yield 1 kilo of useable coffee
beans. If you’re a bit rusty on high
school metrics, a kilogram is about
2.2 pounds, and 33 kilos equal 72
pounds. That’s a lot of coffee
beans.
While we’re on the exotic coffee topic, the rarest coffee beans
are from Indonesia, beans that
have been “processed” by the palm
civet, a cat-like animal. The civet
eats the reddest and ripest of the
coffee beans.
In the digestive process, the
pulpy outside of the beans is dissolved and the whole bean comes
out at the end of the process. There
are also coffee beans nibbled on
and spit out by rhesus monkeys in
India.
The beer, by the way, got rave
reviews and an initial release of
bottled beer quickly sold out. The
brewery will offer it on tap at their
new shop in Tokyo.
As I often point out, I can’t
make this up, and keep in mind
that if, at times, you don’t like
your job, just remember you could
be in Thailand picking through elephant cannonballs looking for coffee beans.
June 2013
Montana Tavern Times – 15
GIA Road Show ‘worthwhile event’
Montana Tavern Times – 16
June 2013
BRUCE WILSON of Grand Vision Gaming, right,
explains one of the company’s games to Lenny
Paul Tash photo
Readicker, of Lenny’s Casino in Butte, during the
GIA’s Spring Road Show last month.
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MTA-RECOMMENDED
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– Rod Gabriel, 532-3884
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– Mark Kuhr, 756-4137
Work Comp • Property • Liability • Liquor Liability • Health Ins
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
On the road again.
That’s where the state’s
Gaming Industry Association was
last month, when it sponsored its
second consecutive Spring Road
Show to provide gaming-machine
operators some one-stop shopping.
This year’s show expanded
from three to four cities – Missoula
May 7 at the Double Tree
Edgewater Hotel, Great Falls May
8 at the Holiday Inn, Billings May
9 at the Holiday Inn Grand, and
Butte May 13 at the Copper King
Inn.
The Spring Road Show featured eight game-machine manufacturers, allowing operators to
review gaming options side by
side. Participating manufacturers
were Epic, Fleetwood, Grand
Vision, IGT, MTD, Spielo, Summit
and U1.
Though more manufacturers
mean more competition, machine
representatives agree that the operators are the real winners because
more manufacturers also mean
more game choices.
“It’s a worthwhile event,” said
Blaine Bowman, of Spielo
Gaming, at the show in Butte. “It’s
a cost-effective way to get out (to
potential customers). It makes it
easier to explain the games when
they’re right in front of you.”
The Road Show provides a
great opportunity, IGT’s Kevin
Lintner said, for location owners
and vendors to see what’s available
from every manufacturer in one
place.
“The Show’s worth it, definitely,” said Kirk Dehler of Fleetwood
Gaming. “People can see all the
machines side by side.”
Neil Peterson, executive director of the Gaming Industry
Association, said the Road Show
will be back next year.
“I hope operators will start to
look for it in the spring,” he said.
“It’s a win-win for licensees and
manufacturers.”
June 2013
Montana Tavern Times – 17
Pool players pocket MCMOA tourney winnings
Over $17,000 in prize money
was distributed to some of the
state’s best pool players during the
Montana Coin Machine Operators’
State 8-ball Tournament held at the
Billings Holiday Inn, May 9-12.
Prize money came from the
donations of six gaming manufacturers and over 40 individual table
sponsors.
Play began with a team tournament on Thursday with 56 players
entered. New jackets and prize
money went home with the Eagles
#16 team from Helena, consisting
of Jerry Churchill, Dan Hamper,
George Price and Dustin Hamper.
Second place in the team tournament went to the Rocky
Mountain Gaming team from
Bozeman, made up of Jeff Ginwis,
Nick Douma, Doug Crossman and
David Custer.
The singles tournament that
began Friday featured 278 players.
By the final rounds on Sunday, 59
players had prize money. Jeff
Boucher of Kalispell won the
Men’s A Division, defeating Mike
Ameline of Billings. Dan Hamper
of Helena took third.
The Men’s B Division saw
Philip Fourstar of Malta defeat
Mike Eyre of Livingston for the
first place trophy. Tyler Townsend
of Bozeman took third.
Morgan Steinman of Great
Falls won the Women’s A Division
with a victory over Molly Jones of
Livingston. Third place went to
Monica Campbell from Malta. In
the Women’s B Division, Aimee
Neel finished in first, Erica Wise
second and Barbara Tuss third. All
three women are from Bozeman.
The MCMOA has announced
that the tournament next year will
be Valley National 8-ball League
Association (VNEA) sanctioned.
All participants will need to be
Montana residents who are registered as VNEA players.
VNEA requirements will
ensure that players are participating in league play prior to the tournament. The change will create a
new AA Division and will allow
for players to be handicapped into
the correct division based on their
league play results.
The VNEA sanction also
allows tournament winners to qualify for regional and national tournaments by winning in Montana.
If you would like to pick up a
bit of new business with pool
league play, contact your local
MCMOA operator and ask about
becoming part of a VNEA league.
Curt Haggerty photo
AN UNIDENTIFIED competitior in last month’s MCMOA State 8ball Tournament lines up a shot.
Montana Tavern Times – 18
June 2013
MTT • Buy • Sell •Trade
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
Winnett Bar & Grill
Main St., Winnett, MT
2208 sq. ft. bldg., bar, kitchen,
walk-in cooler & all fixtures.
7000 sq. ft. lot.
Full beverage liquor license.
On the route to Ft. Peck Lake.
$75,000
Details @ ShobeAuction.com
Call Patti Kiehl @ 429-5601
United Country
- Shobe Auction & Realty
Lewistown, MT
THE OLD SALOON AND
LIVERY STABLE STEAK HOUSE
Historical Bar/Restaurant with
Liquor/Gaming license, Real Estate
and FF&E located 20 miles from the
North entrance to Yellowstone Park.
sits on 1.2 acres. $995,000. Serious
inquiries only. Call Dave Everett 406600-0647.
HELENA BAR/RESTAURANT
with All-Beverage/Gaming License
Long-standing business, 45-year
history with established clientele in
Helena. Purchase includes allbeverage/gaming license, FFE.
Excellent income history. Great
downtown location. No real property included. Asking $875,000.
Owner may sell license only. Call
Liane @ 431-1013 for more information and financials. Listing broker is related to seller.
Great business for sale
in Livingston, Montana
Bar/Liquor Store combination,
includes kitchen! One of the top
liquor-selling businesses in the state!
Sale includes liquor license, real
estate and equipment! Great income
producing property ...
Call PEDE at (406) 570-1541
or [email protected]
OASIS BAR (‘THE BIG O’)
Glendive MT, Bakken oil area
Gaming license, liquor license,
poker table, room for 20 poker
machines, 4 pool tables, bandstand,
building with furnished upstairs.
Email [email protected]
or call afternoons, 406-377-4521.
NEW ATLAS BAR
Old-time, well-established bar
in Columbus, MT. Buddy bars
and Brusnwick bar. Many updates
with loads of history. Room
for expansion. Call 406-322-4425
or 406-861-4426 for pricing.
Sidwell Land and Cattle Co.
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
– CATTLE AC –
Established owner since 1991.
Turn-key business. Totally remodeled and brand new. Bar, restaurant
& casino. Century 21 McDonald
Realty. 406-761-2811. 11-1870
Kalispell, Montana Area Bar
Silver Bullet, Bar, Casino, Restaurant.
All-purpose County Liquor License.
Outdoor activity area, paved parking,
2-plus acres w/additional land available.
Short distance from being annexed
into Kalispell, where licenses cost
$500K-$650K. Asking $649,900. Call
Tom 406-862-1000.
– PAINTER OUTPOST –
RV PARK, RESTAURANT,
CAMPGROUND, CABINS
Year-round, clean, cozy, and
comfortable facilities in the
unparalleled splendor of the
Rocky Mountains.
Dramatic price reduction!
www.painteroutpost.com
307-527-5510
[email protected]
MONARCH, MT.
Thriving bar/liquor license, owned
gaming machines, restaurant, 14-unit
motel with indoor pool and spa,
convenience store with gas pump plus
owner’s residence on lower level. All
furnishings inc. Reduced to $750,000.
Call Dick Seim – ReMax Great Falls,
406-799-0307 or [email protected]
RARE BEER/WINE LICENSE
WITH GAMBLING in Gallatin Co.
Call today for a beer and wine
license with gambling privilege
in Belgrade/Gallatin County. Call
Paul with best offer. 406 579-0895.
BAR, MOTEL & RESTAURANT
in the middle of a National Forest
recreation area and near a ski area on
a designated “Scenic Highway.” 240
groomed snowmobile trails, and hundreds of ungroomed trails. Summer
activities include hiking, 4-wheeling,
motorbike riding, fishing, camping,
and taking scenic drives. Hunting
starts Labor Day weekend and ends
Thanksgiving weekend, just as winter
recreation starts. Call 406-236-5955
to see this well-kept facility. Will consider leasing.
LICENSES FOR SALE
Endless Possibilities!
Bar with full liquor license, awesome
kitchen, 9 gaming machines, 4,000 sf
facility on 3 acres (borders 40 acres
zone commercial). Western outskirts
of Great Falls. Call 781-4953.
Just $4.50 per line
1-406-782-3660
[email protected]
LICENSES FOR SALE
All beverage floating liquor license.
$35,000 or best offer. Currently in
Dillon. Call 208-317-1362.
Billings all beverage, gaming license
for sale. Financing possibility. Call
406-672-4434.
State of Montana all-beverage liquor
license in the City of Kalispell.
$615,000. License No. 07-901-2454001. Only one listed for the City of
Kalispell. Call Joyce Atherton, Chuck
Olson Real Estate, 406-250-7320.
All beverage floatable liquor license.
Will sell with bar, with gaming or separately. 406-323-2347.
Whitefish Restaurant Beer/Wine
License (Cabaret) #07-937-2561-401.
$40,000. Contact Alan Elm, (406)
253-0724.
IGT, VLC, Royal Touch, and Mega
Plex machines. Please call Steve @
406-497-6822.
All-beverage floatable liquor
license. $35K or best offer. Serious
inquiries only to 406-812-0057.
Beer and wine license with gaming in
Deer Lodge County, floatable to other
counties. Call 406-560-3997.
Beer and wine license for sale for use
in the Great Falls area. For more
information call Marie Willson,
Realtor, at 406-868-8900 or email at
[email protected]
Dahlquist Realtors
Missoula all-beverage liquor license.
Call Sharon Rhodes, 406-542-8169.
Leave a voice mail.
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO
RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
Bar and restaurant and have
income from 3 apartments that rent
out or rent 2 and live in the largest
one. Has 2 large Quonsets and
fenced back yard. All on main in
Big Sandy in the Heart of
Montana. $250,000. 12-2222
BEST BROASTED CHICKEN,
steak & seafood on Hwy 2 in
Chester. The Grand Bar has a full
liquor and gaming license with live
poker. Great atmosphere and awesome newer apt attached for owner
or manager. Lots of traffic and customers every day. Great opportunity. $338,900. 12-2332
McDonald Realty
406-761-2811
EQUIPMENT TO BUY, SELL
MACHINES FOR SALE!
One PowerStation Plus, one Casino
King, one Summit Multigame. Call
Bill at (406) 263-2623.
Three coin-op pool tables, two 7 ft
and one 8 ft, in great condition, $750
each. Five buddy-bar tall tables, $150
each. Rowe 100 cd juke box, $3,500.
Assorted bar merchandise. Must pick
up in Missoula. Call 544-9138.
Manitowoc sd-0603w 600 lb ice head.
Like new, used for 2 months. $1,500
Broaster v24 rotisserie. Cooks 24
chickens at once. New in box. $1,500
Star #515ep electric 15 lb countertop
deep fryer. New in box. $600
Delfield f2952c 52.25” self-contained
equipment stand (2 drawer, refrigerated).
New still in crate. $4,500 OBO
CALL 406-498-3809!
Autotronics 7500 live bingo system.
Console, master control panel, builtin monitor, camera, blower, 4 monitors with cameras, 4 deluxe flashboards with pattern boards, prize payouts, and game number. Extra parts
and balls. Autotronics 7000 complete
system also available. 406-560-3997.
June 2013
Montana Tavern Times – 19
MTA calling for worker-of-the-year nominations
By Paul Tash
Montana Tavern Times
The Montana Tavern
Association's Public Relations
Committee is calling for nominations for the MTA's Worker of the
Year Award. Deadline for nominations is Friday, Aug. 16.
“The MTA Worker of the Year
Award is a prestigious honor,” said
Bobby Lincoln, head of the PR
committee, which selects the winner. “Lots of tavern owners across
the state have a truly special
employee who they can nominate.”
The MTA asks that nominations consist of a short essay of no
more than 250 words outlining
why the nominee is an exemplary
example of a dedicated and valuable worker, how many years of
service have been rendered, what
are the employee's outside interests
and who are his or her family
members. Examples of achievement, or courage and perseverance
in the face of adversity, should be
included.
"Hospitality businesses are
very dependent on quality workers," Lincoln said. “We should get
some great nominations.”
The award was presented for
the first time at the 2006 MTA
convention. The Montana Tavern
Times sponsors the honor, known
as the Gary Langley Memorial
Worker of the Year award. Langley
was a popular long-time editor of
the monthly trade publication.
Winners receive a specially
created plaque, adorned with a bartender's jigger and stir spoon,
MILODRAGOVICH, DALE, STEINBRENNER
Attorneys
P.C.
Liquor License Transfers, Gaming Applications,
Real Estate, Business Sales, and Estate Planning
GERALD W. STEINBRENNER
(406) 728-1455
Fax (406) 549-7077
E-Mail: [email protected]
P.O. Box 4947
620 High Park Way
Missoula MT 59806-4947
along with a $100 bill. The winner
also will be featured in the postconvention edition of the Montana
Tavern Times.
The Aug. 16 deadline will
allow the committee to review
nominations and select a winner.
The winner's employer will be
notified by Aug. 31.
The PR committee urges the
employer submitting a nomination
to have the employee present at the
final convention banquet to personally accept the award if chosen.
The 2013 MTA convention will
take place in Butte Sept. 9-12 with
the banquet Sept. 11.
Nominations should be sent to
the Montana Tavern Association,
P.O. Box 851, Helena, MT 59624.
They also can be emailed to [email protected].
• Karoake 7 nights a week 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
• Large Variety Poker & Keno Machines
Queen of Hearts
• Packaged Liquor To-Go
Card Club
• Great Drink Prices
Best Live Poker Action in Town
in the Queen of Hearts Card Room.
crystalloungebillings.com
101 North 28th Street • Billings, Montana • 406-259-0010
Join the Tavern Association today!
www.bigskylawyers.com
Regular Membership (for Licensees Only)
$100 Plus Keno & Poker Machines @ $15 Ea
Optional Gold Star ($100 extra)
Associate Membership (non Licensees Only)
Type of Business:
Individual Firms $100.00 (Gold Star $200.00)
Minor Distributor $250.00 (Gold Star $500.00)
Major Distributor $500.00 (Gold Star $1000.00)
Mail to: MTA, P.O. Box 851, Helena, MT 59624
Phone (406) 442-5040 [email protected]
montanatavernassociation.com
Business name
Membership Application
Mailing Address
St. # (if different from above)
County
City
Zip
Name of Licensee
MT Retail Number
Phone
State
Fed. Id Number____________________________
Check enclosed for $ ___________________________________________
Credit card charge for $ ___________________________________________________
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING PAYMENT INFORMATION:
____ Master Card ______ Visa_____Discover Card
(Plus 3% Convenience Fee )
_____ American Express
(Plus 5% convenience fee)
Credit Card # ____________________ Exp. Date______Card Code______
Signature_________________________________Phone#______________
Cardholders Name (Please Print) __________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________
City ________________________State ________Zip_________________
Ask about the special discount!
The Montana Tavern Association works hard to
protect you against threats to your livelihood, in addition to safeguarding your right to earn a reasonable living in exchange for the time and money you’ve invested over the years. The MTA is your representative at
the national, state and local levels when issues arise
that are crucial to the tavern industry and your future.
To that end, MTA employs an attorney and a professional lobbyist to ensure that lawmakers, rulemakers, regulators and administrators understand your needs and concerns.
The MTA also employs a full-time support staff that can give individual attention to your inquiries and will help find answers or resolve problems. The MTA office also maintains a hotline/message service that is
available to MTA members 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
An additional benefit to members is membership in the American
Beverage Licensees (ABL), MTA’s national affiliate that safeguards your
interests in the nation’s capitol. Members also receive great value on
many insurance products.
You will also receive our monthly tavern industry newspaper the
Montana Tavern Times (one of the best in the nation). The Tavern Times
is your newspaper, and in it you can read about your fellow tavern owners, learn about issues that affect your industry, and discover the many
educational opportunities, conventions and trade shows of particular
interest to tavern owners.
The MTA has and will continue to work hard to preserve your right
to run your business as you see fit. A great deal of time, effort and
money has been and is being expended to protect your rights on countless issues.
Let us count on you as a member. You will give us the strength in
numbers that is needed to exercise a powerful voice in government at all
levels. “United we stand, divided we fall” is every bit true as it was in revolutionary times when our ancestors were also collectively defending our
rights!
It doesn’t cost to belong to the MTA - It Pays!
Montana Tavern Times – 20
June 2013