Beer garden a no-go for Jubilee

Recently, Moorcroft Area Chamber of Commerce President Neal Gray asked the Moorcroft Town Council permission to establish a beer garden during Jubilee, selling only malt beverages under a one-day state permit. He explained that the chamber is trying to recoup money lost paying for entertainment.

Answering the invitation of the governing body, the owners of all three liquor establishments in Moorcroft attended the council meeting Monday night to discuss the thoughts of the chamber’s request. The reaction of each was adamant.

“I think it’s counterproductive for the chamber of commerce to be in direct competition with the commerce of the city of Moorcroft,” said Hopper’s Emporium owner Ron Caylor. “I think it’s counterproductive to tell me, ‘we don’t want to have to do this but city council told us that we had to come to you first and if you don’t give us money, then they will give us a license to sell beer’.”

“I always thought the Chamber of Commerce was supposed to be promoting the businesses, not running around asking for money,” said Kaare Kimsey, owner of Dewey’s Place. “I think it’s wrong and [however] this comes out, I’m not going to be a chamber member anymore.”

TJ Gideon of Deere Haven said, “I want to ask the city, why were you even considering this? You have three license holders [and] I disagree with you even considering this and with the legality of it. We pay the insurance, we pay the license fees to the city and I just want you to know my unhappiness on that.”

Mayor Dick Claar admitted the concern expressed by individual council members over the same issue.

Gray stood and addressing the governing body: “At one time the liquor establishments all got together and hired the band so the chamber had nothing to do with the band that played at the street dance. That blew up and the chamber took over the responsibility of getting a band.”

He went on to answer Kimsey’s issue of the chamber’s soliciting money from member businesses, saying, “I don’t know a chamber in the world that doesn’t go around asking people for money.”

Having heard all sides, Gray retracted his application for the malt beverage permit saying, “We try to create a climate that supports all the businesses and it turns out that there’re only two, possibly three businesses that have any chance of making money on Jubilee Days. If the bars choose not to participate, that’s okay with me. I don’t believe we need to strong-arm anybody trying to get money out of them.”

This year’s bands will cost the chamber $4250, according to member Cindy Mosteller, who has been negotiating with the band’s representative.