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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />OCTOBER 28, 1992 <br />Thul felt that the rent per bingo session should be <br />compared to the rates general office space is being <br />leased at, rather than comparing to other gambling <br />halls, provided that the general office space could <br />provide comparable square footage and parking. Thul <br />felt that there were many bingo halls being rented <br />based on a monopoly situation, therefore, the space is <br />overpriced. <br />Blesener asked if bingo hall rents included all rental <br />costs. <br />LaValle replied that some did while others did not <br />include janitorial or utility costs, for example. <br />The City Attorney reported that there is no definition <br />in State Statutes on what is rent or what costs must be <br />included in rent. <br />Thul reported that the '~Griffin Report" was issued in <br />April of 1992 indicating the glut of office space in <br />the Metro area and comparing rents. Thul suggested <br />that the City might want to review this information. <br />LaValle pointed out that the inequity of the situation <br />is that there are only two sites in Little Canada would <br />could accommodate a bingo hall due to parking <br />requirements. <br />Betty Strohbeen, Gambling Manager for Lake Owasso, <br />reported that Lake Owasso's concern is that they are <br />being unfairly treated by the landlord. Strohbeen <br />reported that Lake Owasso has a premise permit issued <br />by the State Gambling Board, however, has not been able <br />to negotiate a lease with the landlord. Strohbeen <br />reported on the amount of rent that other charities are <br />paying at the Little Canada Bingo Hall, and reported <br />that Lake Owasso asked the landlord for the same <br />consideration that some of the other charities have <br />received. Strohbeen pointed out that their <br />organization has already been fined once by the State <br />Gambling Board for the amount of rent that they have <br />paid, and did not want to be subject to additional <br />fines. Strohbeen reported that if they could negotiate <br />a lease with the landlord, Lake Owasso could be right <br />back in operation at the Bingo Hall. <br />Mike Fahey, representing the Little Canada Fire <br />Department, encouraged the Council to table action on <br />the proposed rent control ordinance. Fahey reported <br />that the Fire Department is currently negotiating a <br />lease with the landlord as well as negotiating for <br />other sites, and hope to bring this issue to a solution <br />Page 11 <br />