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-9- <br /> for many -years and .he perceives the State Legislature had good reasons <br /> for making the bars close at 1:00 .A.M. He also pointed out that <br /> • St. Paul now restricts the hours of operation- for video games as well. <br /> Mr. Jones wondered .why Mr. Springfield would .sign a ten year lease on <br /> a property which is going- to be torn down within a year or two. He <br /> "can 't understand why the billiards parlor proprietor would put $50 ,000 <br /> into such an operation. unless he is looking for HRA benefits . He <br /> speculated that the only reason the billiard hall is going in that <br /> area is that the stropping center has become so run down, because "good <br /> shopping centers don't usually have this type of-business" . Mr. Spring- <br /> field' told him .he didn' t know about the redevelopment plans for the <br /> area because "Mr. Saliterman didn't tell me" . <br /> Jim Kirk, 2352 Coolidge Street N.E .., said he doubted "Mr. Springfield's <br /> motives are to change the image of pool halls , but rather, to make <br /> money" . He reported the Coon- Rapids billiards bards adjacent to a <br /> nature center and only -two blocks east of the Northtown Mall and he <br /> doubts there are any homes anywhere near the establishment, where the <br /> Minneapolis residents will be only a half a block away from the business <br /> in St. Anthony. tie asked how many people Mr. Springfield has working <br /> during the all night operation. <br /> Mr. Springfield conceded his Coon Rapids establishment is not in a <br /> residential area and that the- closest homes are on East River Road. <br /> He said the number .of employees he has on duty vary with the need, <br /> since in the summer he only needs one bartender from midnight to <br /> • 5 :00 A.M. ,.'but in the winter, he usually employees both a bartender <br /> and a bouncer; plus a waitress , for those hours . <br /> Councilman Ranallo agreed "the Coon Rapids Chick's is completely <br /> isolated from the residential development and there can be no similarity <br /> drawn between that operation and- the -operation in St. Anthony" . <br /> Darlene Gerber, 2243 N.E. Roosevelt,. said she had been the. one who had <br /> personally gone throughout her neighborhood, which is immediately <br /> adjacent .to the shopping center, seeking signatures on the petition <br /> against the pool hall. Although a few people had refused to sign , she <br /> had gotten 409 signatures , and was confident she could have gotten <br /> many more if she had known about what was happening sooner. She <br /> described hers as a quiet community where her neighbors are very con- <br /> cerned about the influx of people this operation would bring into <br /> the neighborhood. Mrs . Gerber noted Mr. Springfield had gotten mostly <br /> business references and that "there is a big difference between having <br /> a business of this type in a commercial area as compared to a resi- <br /> dential area like ours" . She also has no prejudices against pool , hoping <br /> to have a table in her own home some day, but, she is concerned with <br /> "the exploitation of young people by video games" , and guessed, "a <br /> youngster could spend -a bundle in an afternoon! " . Her own children <br /> "will not be allowed to go to the shopping center any more if they <br /> have to pass a pool hall" . Mrs . Gerber announced to her neighbors that <br /> Alderman Dziedzic, when he had called her to tell her he would be <br /> unable to attend the meeting that night, had assured her he was going <br /> • to see that at least the Minneapolis area would be well patrolled. <br /> Mr. Childs .told Mrs . Gerber the City. Attorney would be prepared to - <br /> discuss all the legal ramifications of Mr. Springfield's application <br /> Just as soon as the resident input was completed. This would include <br /> the possibility. of misrepresentation regarding the 24 hour operation . <br />