The Salem City Council rejected a request for a liquor license that would have allowed the opening of a new gaming parlor in the former beauty shop next to the new Zone Fitness Center in the Westgate Shopping Area.
One of the co-owners Kevin Willis made the request.
“Had several people come and talk to them about maybe taking it over and keeping it as a hair salon, had nothing come of it. A little history of me, when I retired from the Effingham Police Department I am now the Security Director for J&J Gaming who is a PO. Have a lot of locations down here. I’m familiar with the gaming industry having been in it for 8 years so far, and saw it as an opportunity to put a gaming parlor in there.”
Mayor Pro Tem Nic Farley noted they had nothing against Willis’ idea, but the city council had earlier drawn the line against more video gaming facilities.
“Four or five years ago we looked over all of our liquor ordinances and we met with many stakeholders in the community and redid a lot of our licenses and how they are established because of the gaming issue and one thing we overwhelmingly heard from the community is they didn’t want any more gaming parlors in the community.”
The council noted they had already turned down two others who had made similar requests.
Willis said he understood the city’s stance, noting he had served on the Effingham City Council which had taken a similar position.
