Seattle Nightlife

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Seattle Nightlife Music Association

• Membership Meeting
• September 14, 2006

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Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions
• Jeff Steichen, Showbox SeattleNMA President
• Keynote Address
• The Hon. Nick Licata, Seattle City Council
  President
• Update on Mayors proposed nightclub ordinance
  and other emerging issues
• Tim Hatley
• SeattleNMA Membership Recruitment
• Pete Hanning, Red Door SeattleNMA Membership
  Chair

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SeattleNMA formed to tackle a variety of issues

• Mayor Nickels proposed nightclub ordinance
• Citys use of good neighbor agreements
• Reforms of the Washington State Liquor Control
  Board
• Proactive activities to support and expand
  Seattles music and nightlife industry
• Networking opportunities between restaurant, bar
  and nightclub owners
• Support pro-nightlife candidates for elected
  office

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Mayor Nickels Proposed Nightclub License
Ordinance

• Proposed ordinance defines
• establishments that will be subject to the
• ordinance as
• An establishment, with the exception of a theatre
  with fixed seating, which
• Provides alcohol after 1000 p.m. with either
  amplified live entertainment or recorded music
  conducted by a DJ or other person employed or
  engaged to do so
• Sells liquor
• Has an occupant load of fifty or more persons

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Elements of the proposed legislation

• Requirement that establishments seek city
  approval of their business plan
• Allows the city to impose any operational
  conditions such as hours of operation, security
  requirements and types of music
• Allows the city to revoke a license for one or
  more infraction of conditions

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Elements of the proposed legislation continued

• Requires licensees to renew yearly which could be
  denied without due process
• Requires establishments to patrol areas after
  closing on properties they do not control
• Requires establishments to prevent non-club
  patrons from littering in public areas and other
  properties not under their control

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Mayors Proposed Ordinance - where we are today

• SeattleNMA submitted a letter detailing concerns
• Red-lined version of the ordinance was submitted
  for review
• Mayors office has new version, expect it to be
  made public next week
• Expectation that the mayors office will send it
  to council sooner than later
• Council soon to start budget process - other
  legislation tends to be postponed until after
  budget is adopted (late November)

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Other Issues Citys Good Neighbor Agreements

• The city has systematically undertaken efforts to
  reclassify restaurants to drinking
  establishments and require them to enter into
  Good Neighbor agreements.
• Bars and nightclubs have also had to enter into
  such agreements or risk the citys opposition to
  their liquor license renewal.

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Good Neighbor Agreements a sample of conditions

• Elimination of happy hours
• Limiting hours of operations
• Security requirements
• Prohibiting dance floors
• No outdoor seating
• Dress codes
• No open windows

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Washington State Liquor Control Board - Reform
Needed!

• Additional staffing and budget
• Changes to antiquated blue laws, including
  hours of service, pitcher and bottle service,
  etc.
• Better accountability
• Better consistency of product availability

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SeattleNMA

• The Seattle Nightlife and Music Association is a
  coalition of bar, night club, restaurant and
  music interests formed to educate elected
  officials, civic and community leaders, and the
  media on the serious issues facing the music and
  nightlife industry in Seattle.
• SNMA Action Agenda
• Provide our customers with a safe and vibrant
  nightlife particularly more patrol officers in
  high impact areas
• Protect bar, club and restaurant owners rights
• Respond to proposals which impact our industry
• Support our local communities
• Promote responsible bar, club and restaurant
  management

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For more information

• Visit www.seattlenma.org
• Call Tim Hatley [phone] or Rachel Bianchi
  at [phone]