Thursday, February 03, 2000
Liquor sales likely for Ky. Speedway
BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FRANKFORT — An exception to a countywide ban on Sunday sales of liquor and all sales of liquor by the drink in Gallatin County could be in place by the time the $100 million Kentucky Speedway stages its first race in June.
The speedway, under construction in Gallatin County, would be allowed to sell alcohol seven days a week under a bill that passed a legislative committee without opposition Wednesday.
The supplemental license sought by the track, which is being developed by former Turfway Park racetrack owner Jerry Carroll of Fort Mitchell, already exists in Kentucky for convention centers, horse tracks and large airports.
“I'm sure racetracks would have been included when the supplemental license bill was passed a few years ago, but we didn't have any motor speedways at the time,” said Gallatin County Judge-executive George Zubaty, who attended the committee hearing.
Gallatin County is not dry, but it does have laws restricting the sale of alcohol:
• Beer and wine are sold by the drink in restaurants and beer is sold in bars, but no liquor is sold by the drink.
• Packaged liquor, also known as bottled liquor, is sold in liquor stores licensed by the state.
• There is no alcohol sold on Sundays.
House Bill 463 — co-sponsored by House Majority Caucus Chairman Jim Callahan, D-Wilder, and Rep. Paul Marcotte, R-Union — would create a supplemental liquor license for automobile racetracks.
The license would allow the track to sell beer and liquor by the drink seven days a week, but only after 1 p.m. on Sundays.
The bill passed the House Licensing and Occupations Committee by a vote of 12-0 with one lawmaker not voting.
The Northern Kentucky lawmakers on the committee — Mr. Marcotte; Rep. Jon David Reinhardt, R-Alexandria; and Rep. Jon Draud, R-Crestview Hills — voted in favor of the bill.
Mr. Callahan said he expects the bill to pass the full House.
“As far as I can tell, there is zero or little opposition to the bill,” he said.
Mr. Callahan said allowing the track to sell alcohol is important to the success of the facility, which is to run its first race June 17.
“The Kentucky Speedway will be a huge tourist destination,” Mr. Callahan said. “Because Sundays are the biggest race days for automobile racetracks and because race fans ex pect to be able to purchase (beer and liquor) at race events, the proposed license is critically important to ensuring success of this tourist attraction.”
The bill could be voted on in the House early next week.
If passed there it would be then be considered by the Senate.
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