Adult arcade games like this were played near McGregor Avenue a few miles from Fort Myers Beach, but were rejected by the Fort Myers Beach City Council because it proposed to open a new bar near Old San Carlos Avenue. / Photo by Nathan Mayberg
A vacant shop at 185 Old San Carlos Boulevard, partly owned by Suzanne Bahan, is intended to be used as an adult video game store and bar, and has been approved as a beer and wine bar, although the city council does not support adult video games after the October meeting.
The committee rejected the special permission for adult video game halls.
Adult video games, often referred to as slot machines, video games or video game machines, are common in this area of Li County. There are three locations along San Carlos Avenue and McGregor Avenue, 5 miles from Bahan’s proposed Fort Myers Beach location.
Unlike payment in the form of cash or coins in a casino, the reward for winning on the machine is usually a gift card after the customer purchases the ticket. The machines along San Carlos Boulevard and McGregor Boulevard operate in almost the same way as video game machines in casinos. Bahan said her plan is to make the machine pay for prizes such as gift cards.
City councillors expressed concern over whether the regulations of the city of Fort Myers Beach allow the use of such games, and city council members were curious about these plans at a meeting earlier this month. The local planning bureau rejected the project's application for video game arcades with a 5-0 vote, even though they approved the bar's on-site consumption.
The Fort Myers Beach City Council has approved the opening of a beer and wine bar at 185 Old San Carlos Boulevard, but it does not apply to adult video games or electronic video games. / Photo by Nathan Mayberg
Bahan said: "There are many of these (video game halls) around the beach. They are well maintained and are very delicate and elegant places."
Bahan stated that jackpot limits for other such stores range from $5,000 to $10,000.
Deputy Mayor Rexann Hosafros stated that she believes that the code needs to be changed in order for the console to be approved. She said that such code changes require public participation.
"All of this is unclear. For me, the problem is too broad," Hosafros said. "This should be handled when we want to modify our code."
Robert Burandt, a lawyer representing Bahan, said that these games are "lawful use", can be found throughout the county, and are approved for use by the state government.
The Fort Myers Beach City Council has approved the proprietor Suzanne Bahan’s proposal to open a beer and wine bar at 185 Old San Carlos Boulevard, but it does not apply to adult video games or electronic video games.
Mayor Ray Murphy said the matter “worthy of further investigation”.
City Councillor Jim Atterholt (Jim Atterholt) said he believes that the Public Safety Commission should also consider using the property for game consoles. "It's worth studying in depth," he said.
City Councillor Bill Veach said that he would not support game consoles, but he believed that it should be put forward as a law if it was to be further implemented, and that it would receive a lot of opposition. "This will set an unfortunate precedent that we can't control too much," Veach said.
City Councillor Dan Allers said that video game consoles “need to go back to the design stage”.
The council finally approved the bar's license by unanimous vote in the absence of a video game hall.
At the recent town council and public safety committee meeting held by Bahan, Bahan stated that she will continue to work hard to bring adult video games to the property.
Editor Nathan Mayberg can be contacted at Nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com
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