The Salem City Council heard a request Monday night from the managers of the El Rancherito restaurant on a possible new use for the shuttered Pizza Hut restaurant on West Main Street.
Rosa Roma and her husband Luis Romo are interested in operating a package and pour liquor establishment that would also feature video gaming. Before making a formal request, Roma wanted to come before the city council because they had rejected other requests for businesses that would feature video gaming. Roma said they were staying away from operating another restaurant due to problems they are currently having getting employees at El Rancherito.
Council members admitted their opposition to more video gaming, especially to those who are not from the city, but said they would give her idea more consideration because they are local and are operating another successful business.
Roma said the owner of the Pizza Hut building is interested in a ten year lease and gave no indication of an interest in selling the property. She said her family had rejected the idea of moving El Rancherito from its current location to the Pizza Hut building.
Since the issue was not on the agenda, no action could be taken. Mayor Nic Farley said it could be placed on a future agenda for formal consideration. Later in the meeting, the council further discussed their desire to limit more video gaming facilities. Farley says cities are allowed to collect a push tax of up to $250 for each video gaming machine in operation. He thought such a tax might curtail some interest in the machines. Farley plans to bring the issue before the city council after the first of the year.
