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Exclusive: KC's voter-approved smoking ban could be changed by City Council 

KC voters approved a tough smoking ban in April, but very quietly City Council members already are looking at changing it.

The City Charter says it would take just 9 of the 13 City Council members to alter what voters endorsed five months ago.

-- One change under consideration would weaken the voter-approved law and allow smoking in retail tobacco shops.

-- The other change, though, appears to reduce where a person may smoke on a casino. That would be a positive development -- if that's what the ordinance would really do.

The voter-approved ordinance prohibits smoking in a "casino gaming area."

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Cougar Lanes bowling alley closes; smoking ban cited  

The Cougar Lanes bowling alley at 3510 S. 144th St. closed Saturday, and a person associated with the business said the city's smoking ban was a factor.

"Bowling is a sport where you have a beer and a cigarette," said Doris Martin, a former partner in the bowling alley.

In 2007, Martin and two employees were cleared of violating Omaha's partial smoking ban by allowing smoking in the alley's adjacent bar, the Cougar's Den.

Martin and her employees' victory was the first case in which people accused of violating the ban fought the charges in court.

But by the time the case was settled, many leagues had switched to other nearby lanes with keno licenses that allowed them to smoke while bowling, Martin said.

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Ralston questions validity of smoking ban lawsuit 

The City of Ralston intends to fight a lawsuit that would snuff out the exemptions to its smoking ban.

Attorney Christopher Jerram, on behalf of Ralston resident Mary Foster, said the lawsuit was brought against the city seeking "fairness, public health and economic opportunity on a level playing field."

The City Council went into a closed session to discuss the lawsuit Tuesday night. An informal vote was taken during the session.

City Attorney Mark Klinker said after the closed session that he and the city's elected officials do not think Foster has standing to bring the suit because the city's law does not harm her economically or inconvenience her in any unique way.

The lawsuit was filed July 8 in Douglas County District Court. A motion for a temporary injunction is scheduled to be heard Aug. 8.

In November, Ralston adopted an ordinance that banned smoking in workplaces but gave a reprieve to keno outlets, bars with limited food service, tobacco-only retail outlets and private clubs, such as the Ralston American Legion Post 373.

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SkyCity cinemas write down hits profit 

The owner of the Adelaide Casino, SkyCity, has reported a fall in annual profit of almost 50 per cent.

Net profit is almost $41 million, dragged down by a multi-million-dollar write down of its cinema business. . . .

The company says smoking bans introduced late last year had a lesser effect on the casino than anticipated.

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Casinos urge level playing field on smoking front 

Two Calgary gambling companies want the province to close a smoking-ban loophole that permits gamblers to light up at first nation casinos.

Gamehost Income Fund, which owns the Deerfoot Inn and Casino, says it made nearly a million dollars less in the second quarter of 2008 -- a slide of more than five per cent compared to last year.

Sam Switzer, who owns the Elbow River Casino, estimates his profits are down by at least 25 per cent. . . .

After Alberta's smoking ban took effect, both the Tsuu T'ina Nation, which opened the $40-million Grey Eagle Casino last December, and the Stoney Nakoda Nation, which launched the $60-million Nakoda Entertainment Resort in the spring, invoked federal bylaw exemptions for native lands.

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Study: Smoking bans, gambling mix  

Smoking bans don't cause financial hardship to bingo halls and other charitable gambling operations in Kentucky, according to a University of Kentucky study released yesterday.

The findings run counter to the experience of some Louisville bingo supporters, who say there was a huge decline in revenue after metro government began enforcing a strict smoking ban in July 2007 that removed exemptions for the halls.

The study, commissioned by UK's College of Public Health, looked at charitable gambling revenues before and after smoking bans took effect in 13 Kentucky counties, including Jefferson. It acknowledges that there has been a decline in charitable gambling revenue but says a number of other factors -- from unemployment to the high cost of gasoline -- have had an impact.

The study found that total gross revenues, for all charitable gambling in all 13 counties, dropped by an average of $1.5million a quarter after enactment of the bans, an amount the study says is statistically insignificant.

Data for the study came primarily from the Kentucky Department of Charitable Gaming. The study also used economic data, including unemployment rates and other labor force statistics, from the U.S. Department of Labor.

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Councilman proposes changes to smoking ban  

Smoking could be prohibited in bingo halls and all workplaces, not just ones the public has access to, if a proposal to revise Lexington's 4-year-old smoke-free law is approved.

Urban County Councilman David Stevens plans to introduce on Tuesday a smoking ban revision that would close loopholes that exempt some workplaces and private organizations and would tighten the exemption for retail tobacco stores.

The goal of the changes is "to correct evasions in the law and to extend it to workplaces to protect more people," Stevens said.

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• Study says smoking ban doesn't hurt bingo  

Smoking bans that have popped up around Kentucky haven't put a dent in bingo's bottom line, a new study shows.

"We found there's really no link between smoke-free laws and bingo revenues, one way or the other," co-author Ellen Hahn said Monday. She is director of the University of Kentucky's Tobacco Policy Research Program.

Bingo has been a major fund-raiser for a number of groups, including public-school sports and band booster clubs in Lexington.

The study comes as the Urban County Council prepares to consider tweaking the city's 2003 indoor smoking ban. Among the proposed changes to be introduced at a council work session Tuesday is language that would clear the air in bingo parlors.

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Smoking ban an abuse of power, bar owners group says 

Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health members overstepped their authority when they enacted a countywide smoking ban in bars and gambling parlors, a decision that has led to a decline in state revenue from video lottery poker machines, according to a statewide group that represents the businesses.

The West Virginia Association of Club Owners & Fraternal Services is urging Kanawha County bar and gambling parlor owners to file insurance claims against the Health Department, if they can prove their profits have dropped since the expanded smoking ban took effect July 1.

The amount of money bar and gambling parlor patrons pumped into the poker machines dropped by $1.2 million from June to July in Kanawha County - a 9 percent decrease, according to state Lottery Commission data.

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DENOGEAN: Tribes: Snuff the butts at casinos 

The Navajo Nation recently came close to doing the right thing and beginning a smoking ban in all public areas, including its future casinos.

It was close, but no cigar, as concern for casino profits took precedence over tribal health, as has been true with nearly every tribe that enters into the gaming business.

Apparently, they've learned too well the ways of the white man, who also refuses to let customer or worker health concerns stand in the way of maximizing profits in his smoke-filled casinos. . . .

The doors, walls and slot machines require less cleaning. And the casino never has to buy ashtrays or matches.

As someone who has enjoyed concerts, dining, dancing and gambling at all four Tucson-area casinos, I've always thought the tribes were doing a disservice to their customers and their employees, many of whom are Native Americans, by allowing smoking.

What's sad about it is they don't have to sacrifice people for profit. The Taos Mountain experience proves that a smoke-free casino can have both healthy profits and healthy people.

Anne T. Denogean can be reached at 573-4582 and

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Harrah's Entertainment Reports 2008 Second-Quarter Global Results 

Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. today reported the following financial results for the 2008 second quarter and first half: . . .

Atlantic City Region

Second-quarter revenue gains were attributable to strong results at Harrah's Chester and the phased opening of the expansion at Harrah's Atlantic City; those properties' performances partially offset the impact of reduced visitation, smoking restrictions and new competition in key feeder markets. Income from operations declined due to reduced visitor volume and higher advertising spending.

First-half results also benefited from strong performances at Harrah's Chester and from Harrah's Atlantic City, which opened in phases during the first half of the year. Income from operations was affected by the Atlantic City smoking restrictions and competition from slot parlors in feeder markets. . . . Illinois/Indiana Region

A smoking ban in Illinois led to lower 2008 second-quarter and first-half results in the Illinois/Indiana Region. . . .

Second-quarter revenues increased due to the inclusion of three new London Clubs International properties that opened in 2007. Income from operations was impacted by a smoking ban, lower table-games hold percentage and higher gaming taxes, all of which affected LCI results.

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BCLC predicted smoking ban would lead to drop at bingo halls 

The effect of the ban on smoking in public on the bottom line of the Chances Good Time Gaming Centre comes as no surprise to the B.C. Lottery Corporation.

BCLC spokesperson Greg Walker said John Major's claim that revenue has fallen 20 to 25 per cent falls in line with what was expected as a result of the regulation, which came into effect on March 31, just four days after the gaming centre was opened. "The corporation estimated that, particularly for bingo, we could be facing declines of up to 25 per cent, that was our projection," Walker said, adding similar-sized drops were recorded at bingo halls in other provinces when the ban was introduced.

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• Navajo president vetoes ban on public tobacco 

The president of the Navajo Nation has vetoed a ban on smoking and chewing tobacco in public places.

Tribal President Joe Shirley Jr. says he rejected the measure Thursday because he feared it would infringe on religious ceremonies and inhibit gambling revenue.

He also says the measure didn't focus enough on underage smoking.

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• Tobacco use: Health vs livelihood? 

Is protecting the health of the Navajo people endangering their livelihood? Robert Winter, CEO of the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, says legislation imposing a ban on commercial tobacco use has that potential.

But Herman Shorty of Navajo Office of Environmental Health, a proponent of the tobacco ban, said Wednesday that Navajo laws and regulations are such "that even reasonable persons have to be protected from themselves because of vices, or safety issues that they may not be aware of the need for."

Representatives from both sides of the issue have presented Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. with documentation supporting their stances. The Navajo Nation Council approved the tobacco ban July 25, and Shirley's decision on whether to sign or veto the legislation is expected today . . .

During Council debate of the legislation, Bates proposed an amendment to exclude gaming facilities from the tobacco bill, however, the amendment failed and the bill passed 42-27.

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• Hotels use anti-smoking laws to build outdoor gaming rooms 

IN the long, dark gaming room of Sydney's Epping Hotel, barely a sliver of light can be seen through the wall of "louvres" that separates a row of poker machines from the outside world.

But this is one of a growing number of NSW hotels taking advantage of unclear anti-smoking laws to build these so-called outdoor gaming rooms.

Anti-smoking groups have blamed what they say are inadequate laws for a rise in the number of outdoor gaming areas in the state's pubs and clubs.

"These are rooms full of poker machines that are very much more indoors than out with opening slats and extremely creative use of louvres," Smoke Free Australia co-ordinator Stafford Sanders said.

"The whole things is a shambles and a recipe for evasion."

Hotels following the trend include the Collingwood Hotel at Liverpool, the Hornsby Inn, the Bayview Tavern at Gladesville, the Bondi Hotel and the Ritz Hotel at Hurstville.

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