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“Dedicated to Serving the Montana Tavern and Gaming Industries”

Vol. 19, Number 10 A Tash Communications Publication September 2014

MontanaTavern TimesVisit these Hospitality/Gaming Industry Web sites:Montana Gaming Group: http://www.montanagaminggroup.com

Montana Gaming Research & Education Fund: http://www.gamblingmontana.org

This publication endorsed by the Montana Tavern Association

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

P A I DPermit No. 93Livingston, MT

Change service requested: 914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701

AMOA national president visits Montana

BOBBY HOGIN, president of the Amusement & Music OperatorsAssociation, talks to MCMOA members recently, as AMOA DeputyDirector Lori Schneider looks on.

DartTourney– Page 3

DartTourney– Page 3

Paul Tash photo

By Paul TashMontana Tavern Times

Though 14 years have passedsince the Montana TavernAssociation’s annual Conventionand Trade Show has been inBozeman, the local GallatinCounty Licensed BeverageAssociation promises that thisyear’s 59th edition will be worththe wait.

“We’re reallyexcited about howthe convention isshaping up,” convention ChairmanRalph Ferraro said during a recentplanning meeting. “It’s going to bea lot of fun.”

The MTA will hold its usualgolf tournament, industry party,

Trade Show, annual meeting andbanquet. In addition, the conven-tion’s General Session will featureremarks from statewide politicalcandidates and key industry regula-

See CONVENTION Page 28

Gallatin group to host59th MTA convention

By Paul TashMontana Tavern Times

The Montana Coin MachineOperators Association (MCMOA)worked through a full agenda at itsmeeting July 24 in Bozeman,including a visit from Amusement& Music Operators Association(AMOA) President Bobby Hogin.

“First-class treatment” and“over-the-top hospitality” greetedHogin in his first visit to Montana,he told the MCMOA. Hogin, fromTennessee, visited Montana to seesome of the state’s coin-machineand gaming operations and toenjoy some outdoor adventure.

The MCMOA is “a unique andspecial group,” he said, adding that

the AMOA relies heavily on its“partnership” with the TreasureState organization. AMOA is theparent organization of theMCMOA. Hogin said he wasimpressed with the way Montana’sgaming-industry groups all workedtogether and with state regulators.

Hogin has visited several statesin his role as AMOA president, andnoted “how different things are”around the country when it comesto gaming. For example, he said,Illinois is marking its fifth-yearanniversary of video gaming, whileOregon is still “trying to recover”from the state’s take-over of videogaming 22 years ago.

Though some of its members

are gaming operators, he saidAMOA’s focus remains on the“amusement side.” An example ofissues the organization is monitor-ing is “coin content” dispute. The See OPERATORS 3

AMOA is leading the charge tokeep the U.S. Mint from changingthe composition of dollar coins by

Bozeman Bound!Bozeman Bound!

Full convention detailsbegin on Page 17

MONTANA STATEUniversity appears in the foreground in the photoof the Bozeman area at left.Highway 191, above, leads to Yellowstone National Park.

Montana Tavern Times – 2 September 2014

Montana Tavern Times – 3September 2014

MCMOA dart tourney hits Oct. 17-19By Paul Tash

Montana Tavern TimesThe Montana Coin Machine

Operators Association’s 5th annualMontana State Dart TournamentOct. 17-19 in Glasgow will featurea state-of-the-art bracket systemfor the first time.

Dart leagues are gaining popu-larity across the state as a way tobring customers into taverns on anotherwise slow night, and growthin the MCMOA tournamentreflects that trend.

The tournament enjoyed a 30percent increase in participationlast year, said Trevor Foster, thetournament’s director. All sanc-tioned National Dart Association(NDA) players with at least 24games of league scores are eligibleto participate, with over $10,000 inprize money to be awarded.

“We’ve created a higher-endtournament,” he said at a recentMCMOA meeting. “It’s a destina-tion location.”

The electronic bracket, calledCompusport, allows players to seetheir bracket status on televisionsposted in the tournament room,Foster said. Compusport alsoallows players to download aphone app so they can see theirprogress on their phones.

The system “provides conven-ience of play,” he said, by showingplayers “what board they will beplaying on and about what timethey will be playing.”

“It’s the same system that theVNEA and NDA use at the nation-al tournament level,” he said.

Most dart league nights arescheduled during the week(Monday through Thursday) tobring out regular customers on anight they would not normally stopin and to attract new customers.

Leagues run from fall to springwith many locations running twodifferent sessions. For example, afall league can run from Septemberthrough December, and a winterleague can run January to April.

Most leagues are handicapped,giving the lesser-skilled players achance against the higher-skilledplayer and allowing men andwomen to play together. A sanc-tioned player, participating in anactive league, has the option to goto the national tournament heldeach year in Vegas.

The tournament begins Friday,Oct. 17, with an Open Doubles 501event. Saturday’s schedule includesthe four-person team event for both501 and Cricket and the Singles

Charter Members of the NDA1. Amusement Services (Billings, MT)2. B A Dartz (Great Falls, MT)3. Baker Amusement, Inc. (Havre, MT)4. C. Lohman Games, Inc. (Glendive, MT)5. Century Gaming (Helena, MT)6. Fatal Passion Darts (Great Falls, MT)7. Mears Music (Malta, MT)8. Quickit Darts (Missoula, MT)9. Ton 80 Darts (Missoula, MT)10. Western Gaming (Miles City, MT)

Cricket competition. The tourna-ment will wrap up Sunday with the501 Singles event in the morning.

Foster said he expects the tour-nament to continue to grow.

“You can win some cash, andearn some bragging rights as well,”he said.

The MCMOA uses the moneyraised by the tournament to fundseveral non-profit causes.

For a dart player to be sanc-

tioned with the NDA the leaguecoordinator or operator in that areamust be a NDA Charter holder ingood standing (see the inset for alist of NDA Charter holders inMontana). Each player is thensanctioned by the NDA, throughthe league operator, at an annualcost of $8 per person.

Only league games played onelectronic dart machines that areowned by the NDA Charter Holder

are used to calculate Points PerDart (PPD) and Marks Per Round(MPR) in order to calculate theplayer’s handicap and qualify fortournament play.

Dart leagues can bring a thirstycrowd into a tavern on a weeknight and offer some fun for cus-tomers. With over $10,000 in prizemoney being awarded at the statetournament, generating interest inplayers should be the easy part.

September 2014Montana Tavern Times – 4

Opinion/EditorialTavernTimes

You can still register for Bozeman convention

The conventionis your best

opportunity of theyear to discussissues of impor-tance to you.

Chris Caldwell

By Chris CaldwellMTA Administrator

The 59th Annual MTAConvention and Trade Show isSept. 8-11, at the GranTree Innin Bozeman.

Though the convention isless than two weeks away,there is still time to register.Just fill out and mail the regis-tration form in this issue of theMontana Tavern Times on Page25 or call me at (406) 442-5040, and I’ll get a form out toyou.

Pre-registering will save youa lot of time at registration.

Our host, the GallatinCounty Licensed BeverageAssociation, has put together anumber of special events for

your entertainment. Plan toattend. You’ll have fun at oursocial events and gain valuableinformation at our meetings,seminars and Trade Show.

The convention is your bestopportunity of the year to dis-cuss issues of importance toyou. You can share ideas with,and gain insight from, fellow

tavern owners and discussindustry challenges with gov-ernment regulators.

Don’t forget to sign up forour golf tournament, set forMonday afternoon, and thepoker tournament Mondayevening. You don’t need to bean expert at either to join in –we just want you to have agood time! We have changedup the golf format a little to cre-ate a more relaxed and socialatmosphere.

As an alternative to golf onMonday afternoon, the GallatinCounty Licensed BeverageAssociation has organized anouting to the Museum of theRockies and Downtown

Take time to take on active MTA roleThroughout this edition of

the Montana Tavern Times,you’ll find information on theupcoming Montana TavernAssociation convention inBozeman in early September.

The Times devotes so muchspace to the conventionbecause the convention is soimportant to the Main Streethospitality businesses inMontana.

The Montana Tavern Timesurges you, if you haven’talready, to make plans to attendthe convention. No need to runthrough all the events here …just review the special conven-tion section in the Times thismonth for everything you needto know about the great eventsin Bozeman.

Members of the GallatinCounty Licensed BeverageAssociation in the Bozemanarea have worked diligently toprovide a memorable time forall who attend Sept. 8-11.

As we’ve mentioned before,September is a great time totake a few days off and enjoythe company of other tavernowners from across the stateand take advantage of the localhospitality.

Many tavern owners use theconvention as part of an extend-ed vacation. We encouragemore tavern owners to do thesame.

You can still receive a dis-

count for pre-registering prior toSept. 6. If you haven’t receivedan application form, you canfind one in this month’s issue ofthe Times on Page 25. Or youcan contact the MTA office at(406) 442-5040 and have onesent.

If you decide at the lastminute to attend, go for it.Registration will be accepted atthe door, as well.

Though fun is definitely onthe agenda, the MTA hasimportant business to deal with,

as well. The General SessionWednesday afternoon will pro-vide convention-goers a chanceto hear and question somestate regulators, including rep-resentatives from the AttorneyGeneral's office, the DORLiquor Control Division, and theDOJ Gambling Control Division.

The convention’s BusinessSession Thursday morning willhelp guide the MTA direction inthe upcoming year, especiallythrough next year’s legislativesession.

All tavern owners areencouraged to attend the con-vention, though only MTA mem-bers can vote during the busi-ness session.

So the convention is a greattime to join MTA and make adifference by participating in thediscussions and decisions thatinvolve your business. Take anactive role in protecting yourbusiness investment andreceive the many benefits avail-able through membership to theMTA.

See BOZEMAN Page 6



NFL, NASCAR now driving sports boards By Dave Jeseritz

Gambling Control DivisionThe Gambling Control

Division’s InvestigationBureau can get pretty busythis time of year helpinglicensed establishments withquestions on how to run legalsports boards. NFL andNASCAR fans can be someof the best customers to drawinto your locations, andsports boards are a fun wayto enhance everyone’s expe-rience.

Since these two sportsgenerate the most sportsboards around the state, I will focus on fourtypes of boards we mainly see this time ofyear. First, here are some general rules forboards:

• Chances cannot exceed $25 per sportsevent and must be paid in full and in cashat the time the chance is selected.

• Total prizes cannot exceed $2,500 perboard or event.

• All money paid to participate in asports pool must be maintained separatelyfrom all other monies.

• 100 percent of a sports-board poolmust be paid out in prizes. (If the value of amerchandise prize is less than the amountof money paid by all participants for thechance to participate, the person conduct-ing the sports pool shall award the balanceto the winner in cash)

Note that rules for sports-tab gamesrequire that at least 90 percent of the pro-ceeds of a sports tab game must be paidout in prizes.

No matter which board you use, YOUARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE FOLLOW-ING LISTED ON THE FRONT OF EACHBOARD.

A. Before you start selling spaces theboard must have:

1. NAME of the sports event orseries of events covered by the card (NFLFootball Game, Super Bowl etc.)

2. COMPETITORS NAMES in thesports event or series of events. (ie: Detroitvs. Minnesota)

3. DATE of the sports event or datesof the series of events

4. COST per chance or space (ie:$.01-$25)

5. TOTAL number of chances avail-able in the pool.

6. PRIZE AMOUNTS the winner(s)will receive at pre-determined intervals (ie:1st quarter, halftime, 3rd quarter, finalscore)

7. NAME OF SPONSOR running thesports pool (ie: Billy’s Bar & Casino)

8. NAME OF THE COMPETITORSand the date of a sports event that will besubstituted for the original sports event if itis cancelled.

B. Once you start selling spaces:

9. NAME or INITIALS of participantswho purchased chances on the card (Spacemust be paid for before names or initials areallowed on the board)

10. ALL SPACES must be sold toparticipants. Remaining spaces prior to thestart of the game (event) are purchased bythe board sponsor. Those spaces mustclearly show they were bought by the spon-sor.

C. After all spaces are sold:11. NUMBERS (for football) OR

NAMES (for NASCAR) can be randomlychosen and placed on the board beforestart of game or race.

12. TEAMS are assigned to verticaland horizontal axis before start of game.

D. After the Event:13. WINNERS of each prize must be

identified on each board 14. All sports pool cards must be

kept for 90 days minimum after the event orlast event in a series.

RECENTLY APPROVED GAMESSports boards can now pay both ways, if

you choose! If you are running a sportsboard and the winning numbers are 3 (verti-cal axis) and 7 (horizontal axis) on a tradi-tional board, you can also choose to paypeople with 7 (vertical axis) and 3 (horizon-tal axis) if you announce this pay style andamounts in your rules in advance. This newrule gives more people the opportunity towin with sports boards and sports tabs!

Following are the top four approvedsports pool boards (A.R.M. 23.16.1705) and

how they must be run:TRADITIONAL

SPORTS POOL CARDS1. 25, 50, or 100 space Master

square sports boards are approved. 2. Winners are determined by

the only or final digit in the teams’scores.

3. No limit on the number ofboards you can have.

4. Prizes can be paid out on tra-ditional sports boards:

a. On final score only ORb. At intervals (qtrs.) PLUS

final score(NOTE: the amount paid on

the final score must be equal to orgreater than any other interval payouts)

SELECTED POINT SPORTS POOL CARDS

1. Sometimes referred to as a “28 Club”Sports Pools.

2. For football, pools are limited to 32entries because there are only 32 NFL foot-ball teams. (in this case, the total prize limitcan only reach $800, even with a maximum$25 entry fee. $25 x 32 teams = $800.)

3. There is no limit to the number ofSelected Point sports pools that can beoffered, however, each board must be inde-pendent of the other.

4. Once the prize is won by the partici-pant having a team that scores “X numberof points” (chosen by the sponsor ahead oftime) then the pool is ended and a new onemay begin.

5. Prizes in this pool can be carriedover each week until it is won, but in nocase may entry fees exceed a total of $25and prizes cannot exceed $2,500.

6. If a participant drops out by not pay-ing their fee week to week (if required), thenthey and their team are dropped from theoverall pool.

7. No substituting new participants intothe game once the first game has started.

MULTIPLE COMPETITOR SPORTS POOL

1. Accommodates events such as:NASCAR racing, golf tournaments, horseracing events etc. where there are three ormore competitors simultaneously competingin a sports event as individuals, not as ateam. (These events may not be offered ona Master square board)

2. In NASCAR, only 43 chances aresold (usually in a column on the left handside of the sports pool card).

3. Once all 43 chances are sold, driversare randomly assigned to the participants.

4. The winner is the participant whosedriver finishes first. More than one prizemay be offered (prize split, for example, onthe top three finishers such as 50 percentfor 1st place, 30 percent for 2nd place and20 percent for 3rd place).

All spaces mustbe sold to par-

ticipants. Remainingspaces prior to thestart of the gameare purchased bythe board sponsor.

Dave Jeseritz

Traditional Sports Board

See BOARDS Page 7

September 2014Montana Tavern Times - 6

Bozemanfrom Page 4

Write usThe Montana Tavern Times welcomes letters to

the editor. Letters must include the writer’s nameand address. The word limit is 300. Mail to Montana Tavern Times, 914 Holmes

Ave., Butte 59701, or email the office atpault@tashcom munications.com. The Timesreserves the right not to print letters it finds objec-tionable.

Paul Tash, Editor/Publisher • [email protected] phone: 406-782-3660 • Cell: 406-491-0100

Paul Vang, Contributing Writer • [email protected] 406-494-5736

Ad Production • [email protected]

Postmaster: Please send address change requests to 914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701

All rights reserved by publisher

This publication has been endorsed by the Montana Tavern Association

Reprints of articles and back issues are available at a cost of $10.If you wish to begin receiving the Montana Tavern Times,

send your name, mailing address, telephone number and $29 to the address above.

Tavern Times Business and News Office:914 Holmes Ave., Butte, MT 59701

• TEL: 406-782-3660 • FAX: 406-494-1324 • E-MAIL: [email protected]

A Tash Communications Publication

By Denise BrunetteLiquor Control DivisionAs the liquor licensing

bureau chief, I receive manytypes of questions. A frequentinquiry I receive is: Can cus-tomers legally bring alcoholicbeverages onto licensed prem-ises?

The short answer is no.By law, licensees can only

have on their premises prod-ucts that they have purchasedfrom a wine distributor, a win-ery, a beer wholesaler, a brew-ery, or an agency liquor store.

That effectively means thatcustomers can’t bring their ownbottle of wine or other alcoholicbeverage to the establishment,even if the establishmentcharges a corkage or other fee.

Customers canonly drink

what they’ve pur-chased on-site atthe licensed estab-lishment.

Denise Brunette


Bozeman. So something of interest is

available for everyone Mondayafternoon. That evening is our19th Hole Party at the RiversideCountry Club.

The MTA Trade Show will beon Tuesday. Nothing has beenscheduled that would competewith your time to visit with thevendors. The Trade Show willfeature 70 vendor booths, withmany returning vendors andsome participating for the firsttime. This is your opportunity tovisit one-on-one with vendorsabout their products and servic-es.

A luncheon will be served inthe Trade Show area from 12-1Tuesday. Tuesday afternoonbetween 4 and 5 p.m. horsd’oeuvres will be served andvendor prizes awarded in theTrade Show area. Tuesdayevening from 5:30 to 7 you’llenjoy great food and conversa-tion at our Industry Party, spon-sored by our Montana liquorrepresentatives and our localtavern associations at Mixers.

We’ll kick Wednesday offwith seminars beginning at 9a.m. Joel Silverman and JohnFlynn of Silverman Law Officewill address liquor-licensingcompliance issues; BryanSchultz of Roughstock Distillerywill discuss the significance ofdistilling in the United Statesand Montana; Todd Scott ofBozeman Brewing Companywill give a presentation on whatit takes to start up a brewery;and finally Ben Fjare of PrimeIncorporated will discuss on thebenefits of Facebook marketingand social media.

Conference goers will enjoya great meal at the Bay Bar &Grill Wednesday from 11:30a.m to 1 p.m.

Attendees will return to theGranTree Inn for ourWednesday General Sessionbeginning at 2 p.m., which willbe very informative and a mustto attend. Atty. Gen. Tim Fox,Gambling Control AdministratorRick Ask and Steve Swanson ofthe Department of Revenue’sLiquor Control Division willspeak on issues important toour industry.

Of course, Wednesdayevening is our banquet. Wehave an exciting agenda withspecial awards and prizes andgreat entertainment.

Thursday morning marks theclose of Convention with abreakfast buffet followed byMTA’s business meeting that allmembers are encouraged toattend.

Thanks to the followingConvention sponsors whodonate year after year to makeour Convention and TradeShow a success: AmusementServices, Fleetwood Gaming,Grand Vision Gaming, LuckyLil’s of Montana, Miller Coors,Montana Coin MachineOperators Association, MontanaBeer & Wine DistributorsAssociation, and Young’sMarket.

This year’s “On TheHouse*Pitality” brochures andFootballmania tickets havebeen distributed to many estab-lishments across the state andare available for sale. Get yoursnow! The deadline to activatetickets for the first week of foot-ball is Sept. 6, but you can pur-chase through the end ofOctober. Tickets will be avail-able for sale at Conventionalso. Prizes are awarded week-ly! Give us a call for more infor-mation on this promotion.

As always, if you have anyquestions or need any informa-tion call me at (406) 442-5040or email me [email protected].

Customers can only drink whatthey’ve purchased on-site at thelicensed establishment.

That also means thatlicensed establishments cannotsell a drink, beer, or glass ofwine to someone who wouldlike to consume it at a nearbyrestaurant or other establish-ment. The customer would haveto consume their alcoholic bev-erage at the place he or shebuys it.

The Liquor Control Divisionwebsite has additional informa-tion regarding on-premiseslicensee’s sales, service, andconsumption of alcohol.

Look for a link to our fre-quently asked questions on thistopic at http://revenue.mt.gov.

Customers can’t bring alcoholinto state’s licensed premises


Opinion/Editorial

Boardsfrom Page 5

• Prizes can be paid out onMultiple competitor boards (likeNASCAR)

1. For placing 1st only OR2. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and other

placings if participant knows inadvance

(NOTE: the amount paid onthe final or 1st place score mustbe equal to or greater than anyother individual payout, sameas all other sports boards).

LADDER SPORTS POOL1. The card is divided into

two columns, one for the partici-pant to sign when purchasing achance, and the other for anumber, 0-9, to be randomlyassigned after ten participantshave paid and entry fee. Theparticipants sign their names inone of the spaces in the firstcolumn and pay their entry fee,not to exceed $25.

When 10 participants havepaid the entry fee, numbers arerandomly assigned next to theirname. The winner is the partici-pant whose randomly assignednumber matches the sum of theonly or final digit of the twoteams final scores.

2. For example, if the finalscore were 28 – 21, the partici-pant randomly assigned thenumber 9 would be the winner.If the final score were 7-3, thenumber 0 would be the winningnumber, and so on.

3. There would always beat least one winner in such asports pool, and each partici-pant would have an equalchance to win. The maximumprize could never exceed $250and all other rules pertaining tosports pools would apply.

Do not allow individuals oremployees to solicit or sellchances for their private boardsin your licensed establishmentor you may be held responsible.Remember, operating legalsports pool boards is theresponsibility of the licensee.Failure to do so can result inviolations and fines.

Next month, I will highlightadditional boards that areapproved for use by theGambling Control Division.

For questions on approvedpools, contact the GamblingControl Division at 406-444-1971 or one of our Regionaloffices.

You can also visit our web-site at https://dojmt.gov/gaming/

Good luck and have fun!

Multi-competitor board (NASCAR board)

— UPCOMING EVENTS —Sept. 8-11 MTA Convention, GranTree, BozemanSept. 18 Gaming Industry Association, Best Bet, HelenaSept. 26 Gaming Advisory Council meeting, MissoulaOct. 13 Butte-Silver Bow Tavern dinner, Star Lanes, Butte

— STANDING DATES —2nd Tues. of month Carbon/Stillwater TA 237-98441st & 3rd Wed. month Cascade Co. TA 453-9567Second Tue. of month Central Montana TA 868-4693Quarterly (call) Flathead Co. TA 270-80691st Thurs. of month Hi-Line TA 265-95512nd Wed. of month Lake Co. TA 883-25532nd Wed. of month Lincoln Co. TA 293-44932nd Tues. of month Miles City TA 234-31641st Tues. of quarter Missoula Co. TA 728-00303rd Thurs. of month Park County TA 222-0665Last Tues. of month Ravalli Co. TA 821-18532nd Thurs of month Richland Co. TA 433-43542nd Thur. of month Sheridan-Richland-Daniels 474-23582nd Wed. of month Silver Bow TA 494-6062Last Wed. of month Southwest Montana TA 835-21501st Mon. of month Toole Co. TA 434-24422nd Tues. of month Tri-County LBA 475-95601st Tues. of month Yellowstone TA 656-3991

Tavern Timetable


By Paul Vang Montana Tavern Times

Craft beer sales revenues aregrowing even faster than expected,according to a study by marketresearch firm Mintel, as reportedby Brewbound, a craft beer onlinenews service.

Mintel had previously predict-ed that craft beer sales couldexceed $18 billion by 2017, but thefirm now believes that craft beersales could exceed $20 billion thisyear and could actually double inthe next five years.

The sales projections includeboth craft beer sales from BrewersAssociation-defined craft brewers,and craft-styled beers from themajor brewers, sometimes referredto as “crafty” beers.

While craft brew sales are up,the survey indicates that a “rela-tively low percentage” of beerdrinkers, some 23 percent, regular-ly consume craft beer. Breaking itdown further, among 25-34 year-olds, 29 percent said they drinkcraft beer.

According to the report, a lead-ing driver for craft beer drinkers isstyle. “This focus on style and fla-vor is a major element that differ-entiates a craft beer drinker formthe rest and points to the future ofbeer in the U.S.”

Household income is also afactor in craft beer preference.One-third of respondents fromhouseholds with annual income of$150,000 or more regularly drinkcraft products, while just 11 per-cent of those earning less than$25,000 do so.

More than half of respondentsreport they are willing to spendmore money for craft beer, leadingto the conclusion that crafty beersrepresent a major opportunity forthe major brewers to develop sales.

Big brewers not craftyDespite the rapid growth of

craft beer in the United States, thebrewing industry giants haven’tbeen particularly active in trying tobuy out craft brewers, according toa Law 360 report.

A-B InBev bought out BluePoint (New York) and GooseIsland (Chicago) breweries.MillerCoors, the joint venturebetween SABMiller andMolsonCoors own Blue Moon and

Craft beer sales to exceed $20 billion in 2014Liquor Biz

Leinenkugel beers. Aside fromthat, however, things are relativelyquiet.

Tom Pirko, of beverage adviso-ry firm Bevmark, says that “Bigbrewers spent a lot of time ignor-ing this phenomenon and not beingwilling to integrate craft beer intothe light beer model.”

An industry analyst, DerekGroff of Frank Rimerman & Co.,notes that the rapid growth in craftbrewing has sent valuations ofcraft beer companies skyward,keeping would-be buyers wary. Atthe same time, owners of success-ful craft breweries aren’t interestedin selling. “A lot of the owners feellike a lot of growth and upside isstill available to them.”

Eric Shepard of trade publica-tion Beer Marketer’s Insights,comments, “There’s a naturalreluctance to sell or partner withbig, global brewers, or even withprivate equity, because that’s notwhy these guys got involved in thefirst place.”

Some of the older craft brew-eries have made moves to adoptemployee stock ownership plansthat give workers shares in thebrewery. This more spread-outownership can be a safeguard tothe brewery’s identity. One brewertold Shepard, “When we decidedto go the ESOP route, we didn’twant to drive by the brewery infive years and see someone else’sname on the front.”

Coke invests in MonsterCoca-Cola is investing $2.15

billion for a 16.7 percent stake inMonster, a leading producer ofenergy drinks, according to aFinancial Times report.

Coca-Cola will get two seatson Monster’s board of directors,and analysts predict that the move

could eventually lead to a full buy-out of Monster.

As part of the process, Coca-Cola will spin off its own line ofenergy drinks to Monster, andMonster will move its line of non-energy drinks to Coca-Cola.

The report adds that Coca-Colahas made other moves in the drinksmarket, including Zico coconutwater and Honest Tea, both ofwhich it later purchased.

In May, Coca-Cola increasedits investment in Keurig GreenMountain, makers of one-cup cof-feemakers, and a line of coffeesand teas.

Constellation gets tequilaConstellation Brands reported

that it would take over Casa NobleTequila, a tequila producer associ-ated with Mexican-American gui-tarist, Carlos Santana, according toa Law 360 report.

Casa Noble produces high-endtequilas including Casa NobleCrystal and Reposado.Constellation’s move is an entry byConstellation into the premiumliquor market. Constellation is amajor wine producer, and the U.S.importer of Corona and NegraModelo Mexican beers.

Constellation chairman RobSands commented in a press state-ment “As the first super-premiumspirits brand we’ll add to our port-folio, Casa Noble is a natural fit. Itcomplements our successfulMexican beer brands and weintend t leverage our existingstrong routes to market, as well asour marketing expertise and deepknowledge of the Hispanic con-sumer.”

Pay cuts at DiageoExecutives at Diageo, the

world’s largest spirits producer,have taken a pay cut following atough year, according to HeraldScotland of Glasgow.

The beverage giant fell short ofsales growth goals and cash flowsince Ivan Menezes took over ascompany CEO in July 2013. Adrop in sales to China was a factorin the off year, along with otherregions hit by political unrest andalcohol levies.

Don’t feel too sorry forMenezes, though. He still had ₤7.7million in earnings, including his₤1.8 million salary, plus a₤170,000 bonus from his previousposition as chief operating officer.Former CEO Paul Walsh got a ₤6.4billion award from his last threemonths with Diageo.

The British Pound Sterlingexchanges currently at US$1.67.

A-B to import beerAnheuser-Busch, part of InBev,

the world’s largest beer maker, willbegin importing a Mexican lager,Montejo, according to a Fox Newsreport.

The company will begin sellingMontejo lager in bars, restaurantsand grocery stores in several south-western states next month. TheMexican beer will be targeted tothe growing Hispanic market in thesouthwest.

Rob Sands of Constellation,importer of Corona and ModeloMexican beers, is not worriedabout the new entry in the market,saying, “it doesn’t pose any partic-ular threat to us that is differentthan anything else that has beendone by any of our competitors inthe past.”

Recycled whiskey barrelsWith the boom in bourbon

whiskey comes production of a lotof oak barrels. By Federal regula-tion, bourbon (and Tennesseewhiskey) is aged in previouslyunused charred oak barrels. Afterthe bourbon has aged, the barrelhas done its part and can’t be againused for bourbon.

Traditionally, a lot of those bar-rels get shipped to Scotland foraging Scotch whiskey. They canalso be used for aging otherwhiskeys, though those otherwhiskeys can’t be called bourbon.

A relatively new use for thosebourbon barrels is for aging beer.In a Wall Street Journal feature,writer Martin Johnson looks atrecycling oak barrels.

A growing number of brewersare aging specialty beers in barrelspreviously used for bourbon orwine. Garret Oliver of theBrooklyn Brewery likes usingbourbon barrels, and their aginghouse currently has over 2,000 bar-rels full of beer.

Another brewery, Other HalfBrewing Company in GowanusNY, is aging beer in barrels thatpreviously were used for zinfandelor cabernet sauvignon wines.

The article points out thataging beer in oak barrels isn’texactly new. It’s a centuries-oldtechnique. After Prohibition, how-ever, when the brewing industrywent through a long period of con-solidation, most breweries turnedto massive stainless steel tanks.

On this topic, we’ll note thatwhen the MTA convention was inRed Lodge a couple years ago, thebrewpub associated with RedLodge Ales had a seasonal ScottishAle aged in bourbon casks.

Mighty fine beer!


Operatorsfrom Page 1

using new metals and differentweights.

AMOA is a founding memberof the "Don't Change Our Change"Coalition that has united industrygroups that share similar view-points on the issue. The group hascontributed to a study commis-sioned by the coalition to docu-ment the “negative consequences”that would result if metallurgicmodifications are made to coins,Hogin said.

AMOA also is busy planningfor its Amusement Expo in LasVegas in March. Hogin said theshow is “one, big informationswap meet” to help operators run“more efficiently.”

Hogin also touted his organi-zation’s Hesch Scholarship pro-gram, which has awarded morethan $950,000 in scholarshipssince its inception in 1985. Thescholarship program raises fundsthrough raffles held each year.Applicants must gain an endorse-ment from an AMOA membercompany and many HeschScholarship recipients have workedin – or are related to someoneengaged in – the coin-operatedequipment business.

In addition, Hogin praised thecontinuing education partnershipbetween Notre Dame and AMOA.The AMOA-Notre DameManagement Program offers cours-es specifically designed for thecoin-operated machine industry.Students commit to attend fiveweekend sessions over two andone-half years, and graduatesreceive a "Certified BusinessExecutive" certificate upon com-pletion of the program.

Hogin said this year theAMOA will offer a condensed,two-day program in Denver “as analternative to Notre Dame” to helptrain students wanting to enter thecoin-operated machine industry.

The AMOA has 960 membersand 36 directors around the coun-try, Hogin said, and over 30 sub-committees “working on ways toimprove the industry.”

One of those national directorsis Tim Carson, of AmusementServices in Billings. Hogin was aguest of Tim and his wife Natalieduring his visit in July.

Working as an AMOA directoris “an honor,” Carson said, and heurged MCMOA members “toembrace the education process”that the AMOA offers.

“It’s phenomenal,” he said.

Lobbyist reportMCMOA lobbyist Ronda

Wiggers gave the group a quick

rundown on industry-related mat-ters, including:

• Internet gambling – Nowlegal in New Jersey, Delaware andNevada, internet poker “is notmaking the money anticipated,”she said. The consensus is thatpoker, which is the only gamelegalized for the internet in thosestates, does not play well on-line.And, Tim Carson said, players“still want the social aspect” brick-and-mortar operations provide.

• State DUI laws – Three DUIbills are currently scheduled for theupcoming Legislature, with onecalling for a check-off on taxreturns to help enforce DUI laws.The MCMOA will oppose the bill.

• Horse-racing machines –Machines that provide simulcasthorse-racing, approved for smallerlocations in Montana, are not beingplaced here, Wiggers said.“Nobody seems to think they’remaking money,” she said.Problems with the machinescropped up when introduced inNorth Dakota, Wiggers said, call-ing the introduction of themachines in North Dakota “a non-event.”

• Smoking rooms – No recentaction has come in the legal battleover controversial smoking roomsthat provide gaming machines,Wiggers said. The Supreme Courtis to decide the legality of thesmoking rooms, while Judge GregPinski is to rule on whether gam-ing machines are legal in thesmoking rooms.

MTA reportsThe MCMOA also heard from

John Iverson, lobbyist for theMontana Tavern Association, whotold the coin operators that work-ing with them and their lobbyist,Ronda Wiggers, “was a pleasure”during the last legislative session.

“Our industries work welltogether,” he said. “They’re inter-twined, so it’s important that wecontinue to do so.”

Iverson said the MTA contin-ues to work to protect traditionalindustry interests such as the quotasystem and current tax rate, whileadapting to “cultural shifts” thatinclude “microbrewing andmicrodistilling.”

He said an agreement withinthe alcoholic-beverage industry is“essentially” done that wouldimprove the business environmentfor the industry. Some detailsremain to be worked out, but theagreement generally would allowbrewers to hold one beer license orliquor license and bars to hold onebrewery license.

Under current law a businesscan hold only one type of license.The agreement would have to bepresented to next year’s Legisla-ture for approval.

The deal provides “opportuni-ties for tavern owners and brewersalike,” Iverson said, adding that theagreement “more closely aligns”the brewers and tavern owners.

Discussions are also underwaywith craft distillers, he said, in anattempt to develop a plan thatwould detail how distilleries can

sell their product on their premises.The upcoming legislative that

starts in January will provide plen-ty of challenges and opportunities,Iverson said, and cooperation with-in the industry will be important.

“I’m looking forward to contin-ually working with the MCMOA,”Iverson said.

Mike Hope, MTA president,also addressed the MCMOA. Hereiterated the group’s commitmentto the three-tier system that sepa-rates manufacturing, distributing,and retailing, while also relieving“the friction” that exists within thesystem.

He said the MTA is working toimprove its value to members, andearlier this year paid for a surveyof state liquor licensees to gatherinformation on ways to improvethe organization.

In response to the survey, theMTA is working to change how itcommunicates to its membershipand to the general public, he said.

For example, he said, theorganization will provide seminarsat its convention in September tohelp tavern owners operate by pro-viding some “tools to be success-ful.”

And the MTA has “committedto social media” that includes,among other things, the develop-ment of a Facebook page.

Hope said the MTA is under-stands the need to “transfer knowl-edge from the old guys to the newguys” as the membership getsyounger.

(Continued on next page)


(Continued from previous page)The membership is also grow-

ing, he added.“That’s exciting,” he said.“We’re seeing some positive

trends.”

Problem gambling reportMark Kennedy, president of the

Montana Council on ProblemGambling (MCPM), told theMCMOA that the Council will beraising rates Jan. 1 for its counsel-ing providers in an attempt toattract more of them.

The Council is a non-profitagency, funded by several gamingorganizations, that provides coun-seling, referral services, and educa-tion to problem gamblers and theirfamilies.

“The providers are very pas-sionate about their jobs,” he said.

However, he said, new nationalstandards have reduced the pool ofcounselors, forcing the Council topay more to attract qualified candi-dates. Kennedy said the Jan. 1 ratehike is the first increase theCouncil has ever approved.

Kennedy also said the Councilis working on its social mediapresence, having added a websiteand Facebook page.

Rick Ask, Gambling ControlDivision administrator, reportedthe MCMOA that his agency is

working with a Gaming AdvisoryCouncil subcommittee on betterdefining promotional games.

Ask said some national adver-tisers’ promotional games, such asPapa Johns’ you-pick-em games,“don’t meet Montana rule.” Thegames have two problems, he said.They exceed the state payout limitfor such games and they use theinternet, which is illegal inMontana.

He also said his division isworking with the Liquor ControlDivision to “coordinate theprocess” to allow temporaryauthority for gaming licenses.Temporary authority allows alicense applicant to operate beforefinal approval if the application iscomplete, all financial documentsare in order, and a quick review ofthe application is completed.

Temporary authority is alreadyavailable for liquor-license appli-cants, but not for gaming licenseapplicants.

The coin operators’ annualfund-raising dart tournament willtake place Oct. 17-19 in Glasgow,said tournament director TrevorFoster of Amusement Services.

He requested, and theMCMOA approved, additionalfunding to incorporate an electron-ic bracket system called Compu-sport for the tournament. (Seerelated story on Page 3.)


Convention a perfect blendBy Paul Tash

Montana Tavern TimesThe Montana Tavern

Association’s annual Conventionand Trade Show has been calledthe perfect blend of business andpleasure.

Never has that description beenmore appropriate than this year –the 59th annual edition inBozeman. Organizers have injectedeven more fun, in the form of aretooled golf tournament, and morebusiness, in the form of a newseries of seminars, to make theconvention even more valuable forliquor licensees.

The convention will feature thegolf tournament, 19th Hole Party,local outing to the Museum of theRockies, and fund-raising PokerTournament on Monday; the TradeShow, Industry Party, Pub Crawl,and Poker Tournament finals onTuesday; the luncheon, GeneralSession, and banquet onWednesday; and the brunch buffetand Business Session on Thursday(see full schedule and venues onPage 19).

Following is a rundown on theconvention’s activities.

Monday, Sept. 8The golf tournament starts with

registration and welcoming recep-tion at the clubhouse at 11 a.m. Ashot-gun start is set for noon. (SeePage 21 for more on the golf tour-nament.)

As always, a number of prizesare available for golfers, includinglongest and shortest drive, longestputt, and closest to the hole.

After the golf tournament, thefun continues with the 19th HoleParty at the Country Club from 6-8:30. Transportation will be pro-vided from the hotels to and fromthe golf course.

For convention goers whoaren’t golfers, an outing is plannedto one of Bozeman’s leadingattractions, the Museum of theRockies.

The Museum of the Rockies isknown for its large collections ofvarious dinosaur remains that havebeen found in Montana over theyears, along with exhibits on thehistory of the Bozeman area, aplanetarium, and other attractions.

Transportation will be provid-ed, with buses leaving theGranTree Inn at 12:30. After a tourof the museum, transportation willbe provided to downtownBozeman for shopping and sight-seeing.

The annual Roger FramptonFreeze-Out Poker Tournament, anMTA fundraiser, kicks off Mondayat 9 p.m. at the Cat’s Paw, just

THE MUSEUM of theRockies, which features avariety of exhibits, including ahuge collection of variousdinosaur fossils that havebeen found in Montana overthe years and a planetarium,will provide convention goersan alternative to golf Mondayafternoon.

down 7th Avenue from the hostGranTree Inn. By the end of theevening, the number of playerswill be cut down to a final 10. (SeePage 27 for more on the pokertournament.)

Tuesday, Sept. 9The MTA’s Public Relations

Committee meets at 9, and thebudget committee meets at 10. Allcommittee meetings are at theGranTree.

The popular Trade Show willrun just one day, on Tuesday from10 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, noother activities will be scheduledduring that time, allowing confer-ence goers to spend as much timeas they want with the vendors.

“I think the Trade Show is real-ly going to be good,” said conven-tion Chairman Ralph Ferraro.

The Trade Show, which willfeature about 70 vendors, takesplace at the GranTree Inn. Theshow includes a noon luncheonand concludes with a cocktail partyin the exhibit area from 4 to 5 p.m.(See Page 26 for more on theTrade Show.)

The festive Industry Party,sponsored by a number of industryvendors, will take place at Mixers,several blocks south of theGranTree, just off 7th Avenue.Transportation will be provided.

In addition, a hospitality run isscheduled to roll after the IndustryParty.

Wednesday, Sept. 10The new seminars are sched-

uled for Wednesday morning, start-ing at 9:30.

“We hope people attend theseminars,” Ferraro said. “We’vereally worked hard to put thosetogether.”

The seminar providers andtheir topics are:

Silverman Law Office, themost common compliance issuesinitiated by the Department ofRevenue’s Liquor Control

Division;Roughstock Distillery, the sig-

nificance of the boom in craft dis-tilling in the United States andMontana, and its economic impacton license holders;

Bozeman Brewing Co., what ittakes to start up a brewery, focus-ing on costs, equipment, employ-ees and ingredients;

And Prime Incorporated, theworld of Facebook and howlicensees can use it to market theirbusiness.

The MTA Legislative andGaming Committee also meetsWednesday morning at 9:30.

The Wednesday luncheon, forboth the men and women, is set forthe Bay Bar and Grill in theGallatin Valley Mall. Beer tastingwill be provided by MillerCoors.As usual, bus transportation will beavailable from the conventionhotels to and from the Mall.

The convention’s GeneralSession begins at 2 p.m. at theGranTree and will feature remarksfrom key industry regulators. TheGeneral Session is the place tohear from, and ask questions of,the officials in charge of regulatingthe hospitality industry.

In addition, several statewidepolitical candidates are scheduledto address the Session, includingRyan Zinke and Steve Daines.

The convention’s popular ban-quet kicks off Wednesday night at7 at the GranTree.

The MTA’s major awards will

be presented at the banquet,including the prestigious DurkeeAward and the MTA Worker of theYear Award. The banquet also fea-tures raffle prizes and a silent auc-tion.

Entertainment after the banquetincludes music by “TheDiamonds,” a ‘70s and ‘80s rock‘n’ roll band.

“They’ve performed in Vegas,”Ferraro said. “They’re worldfamous.”

Thursday, Sept. 11The closing day of the MTA

convention begins with a brunchbuffet at the GranTree from 9 to10:30 a.m., featuring fruit and fruitjuices, pastries, French toast,bacon, ham and other treats.

The MTA’s Business Sessionfollows the brunch buffet. All tav-ern owners are welcome to attend,MTA members or not, and hearabout the issues vital to the successof their businesses. However, onlycurrent MTA members can vote.

The Business Session is veryimportant to the MTA. The mem-bership addresses critical issuesfacing tavern businesses, focusingspecial attention on protecting tav-ern owners’ investments in theirbusinesses.

Convention goers can make adifference by participating in thediscussions, and MTA members,specifically, can help steer MTA

Museum of the Rockies photos

See AGENDA Page 19


policy with their votes on business-related issues.

The MTA also will reviewpotential legislation for the upcom-ing Montana Legislature inJanuary.

“We’ll get a chance to discussupcoming legislative issues impor-tant to hospitality businesses,”Ferraro said.

Time to registerCaldwell said tavern owners

can still pre-register until Sept. 6and save themselves $25, thoughthey can register at the conven-tion (convention registrationopens at 8:30 Monday throughWednesday).

“Pre-registration is reallyrecommended,” she said, “andit’s cheaper.”

An application form is avail-able on Page 25 of this month’sTavern Times, or the MTA office(442-5040) can send one out.

The Bozeman planning com-mittee is comprised of ChairpersonFerraro, and committee chairsJackie McCulloch, Tana Koelzer,Kurt Shull, Andrew Cetraro, andChad Yurashak. Many other localtavern owners pitched in, as well.

And the local folks havereceived plenty of support fromCaldwell and the MTA office inHelena, as well.

“We’re looking forward to anawesome convention,” Ferrarosaid.

Agendafrom Page 17

THE BEST WESTERNGranTree is the hosthotel for the MTA con-vention Sept. 8-11 inBozeman. It featuresThe Club Tavern andGrill, where conventionattendees can enjoy acocktail and some finecuisine.

GranTree Inn photos


MTA golf tournament gets social

By Paul TashMontana Tavern TimesIf you’ve never played golf, the

MTA convention might be a goodtime to give it a shot.

Organizers of the golf tourna-ment that traditionally kicks off theMontana Tavern Association’sannual convention have made sev-eral changes to the event this yearto make the tournament more play-er-friendly.

“It’s a new and exciting for-mat,” golf Chairman AndrewCetraro said.

The idea is to get more peopleto play, even those who rarely ornever play, he said.

The tournament will definitelyhave a more social feel to it.

“There will be food and drinkthroughout the course,” Cetrarosaid, with the food specificallypaired with spirits.

He added that the holes them-selves will be much larger thannormal, and hole pins will beremoved. So golfers won’t knowwhere the holes are before arrivingat the greens, but they’ll berewarded once there with largerholes to putt to.

The format will also allow forlarger teams.

Coors Light is sponsoring thetournament, to be held at theRiverside Country Club. Co-spon-sors are Young’s Market and theSazerak Co.

“Anybody can play,” Cetrarosaid. “Clubs will be available atRiverside to rent if you don’t haveany.”

The event starts with registra-tion and welcoming reception atthe clubhouse at 11 a.m. A shot-gun start is set for noon.

As always, a number of prizesare available for golfers, includinglongest and shortest drive, longestputt, and closest to the hole.

After the golf tournament, thefun continues with the 19th HoleParty at the Country Club.Transportation will be providedfrom the hotels to and from thegolf course.


September 8-11, 2014 • GranTree InnBozeman, MT

The Convention is all set to go... All we need is you!

This year in Bozeman we have some new events for added fun. All tavernowners are welcome to attend, members or not. We hope those who have notjoined will be encouraged to do so after learning what MTA does for the industryand its members and the many benefits available through membership.

We have critical challenges facing our industry, particularly as they relate tothe protection of the investment you have made in your business. You canmake a difference by attending the convention and participating in the discussions.However, you must be a 2014-2015 MTA member to vote.

Program and Special Events In Brief

Special Events

MTA is Your Vehicle ...You’re Invited

to Get on Board! Register Today.

This page is sponsored by your friends at:

Lucky Lil’sCasinos

Montana Tavern Association59th Annual Convention & Trade Show

15th Annual Marie Durkee Memorial Golf TournamentWhere: Riverside Country ClubWhen: Monday, Sept. 8. Noon shotgun start.

Transportation from hotels at 11:00 A.M.Format: Several-person Scramble Fee: $125 per player (Includes green fees, carts, lunch, beer, Bloody Marys,

Screwdrivers, prizes and 19th Hole party) Prizes: Cash & special prizes

Local Attractions OutingSWhere: Museum of the Rockies, Downtown BozemanWhen: Museum - Monday, 1 P.M.; Downtown - Monday, 3 P.M.Fee: Complimentary

Roger Frampton Memorial Poker TournamentWhere: Cat’s PawWhen: Monday, Sept. 8, 9 P.M.

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 9 P.M.Format: Monday – elimination round, players with chips advance

Tuesday – Final RoundEntry: $100

Program in BriefRegistration 8:30 A.M. - 4 P.M. Monday & Tuesday, GranTree

8:30 A.M. - Noon Wednesday, GranTreeTrade Show 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. Tuesday, GranTree

Monday - 9/8/1411:00 A.M. Transportation from Hotels to Golf CourseNOON Golf Tourney - Riverside Country Club12:30 P.M. Transportation to Museum of the Rockies1:00 P.M. Museum of the Rockies tour3:00 P.M. Downtown Bozeman outing5:30 P.M. Transportation from Hotels to 19th Hole6-8:30 P.M. 19th Hole Party - Riverside Country Club9 P.M. Freeze Out Poker Tournament - Cat’s Paw

Tuesday - 9/9/149:30-11:30 A.M. Committee meetings - GranTree10:00 A.M. - 5 P.M. Trade Show - GranTreeNOON - 1 P.M. Luncheon - Trade Show area4:00 - 5:00 P.M. Cocktail Party - Trade Show area5:15 P.M. Transportation to Industry Party 5:30 - 7:00 P.M. Industry Party - Mixers7 P.M. Hospitality Run9 P.M. Poker Tourney - Cat’s Paw

Wednesday - 9/10/149:30 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. Committee meetings - GranTree9:30 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. Seminars - GranTree11:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. Luncheon - Bay Bar and Grill2:00 P.M. General Session - GranTree7:00 PM Cocktails/Banquet - GranTree

Thursday - 9/11/149 - 10:30 A.M. Brunch Buffet - GranTree10:30 A.M Business Session - GranTree

Special-event eligibility: Must be a 2014-2015 MTA member, sponsored bya member, or registered for the 2014

convention.


Convention Registration


Huge Trade Show set to goBy Paul F, Vang

Montana Tavern TimesThe annual MTA Convention

Trade Show is always one of thehighlights of the convention, asMTA members have the opportuni-ty to meet and visit the many busi-nesses that provide services to thehospitality industry.

“The Trade Show has soldout,” said Chris Caldwell, MTAadministrator. She said she’s evenadded a few booths over the sell-out mark. As of Montana TavernTimes’ press deadline, nearly 70exhibitors have signed up for abooth at the trade show, possibly arecord for numbers of exhibitors.

Trade Show will run just oneday, on Tuesday, Sept. 9, from 10a.m. to 5 p.m. However, no otheractivities will be scheduled duringthat time, so conference goers willbe able to spend as much time asthey want with the vendors.

The Trade Show takes place atthe GranTree Inn’s ConventionCenter. The show includes a noonluncheon and concludes with acocktail party in the exhibit areafrom 4 to 5 p.m.

If you’re wondering what hap-pens at the Trade Show, it all boilsdown to new products, new servic-es, and new technologies, not tomention renewing a lot of friend-ships.

Those new products and servic-es may be new spirits or brewsfrom distillers and brewers, newdevelopments in POS systems, sur-veillance systems, money manage-ment systems, financial services, orgaming machines and technolo-gies.

It’s a one-stop opportunity toget caught up on new develop-ments in the various industries thattailor products for the hospitalityindustry.

In addition, the Departments ofJustice and Revenue will haveexhibits to help business operatorskeep up with changes withMontana’s liquor and gaming regu-latory agencies.

Many of the exhibitors display-ing at the Trade Show will be oldfriends to MTA members, thoughsome others will make their firstappearance.

New exhibitors will includeBig Sky Gas, a natural gas supplierthat can offer natural gas at a spe-cial price for MTA members. Othernew vendors include ProFormaGateway, which provides promo-tional services, Trailhead Spirits,and Daily Pulse, which providesback-up software.

The Trade Show is a fantasticway to get to know the people andcompanies that serve the industry.

Confirmed Trade Show vendors at deadline


Pokertourneyremainsa big deal

Montana Tavern TimesThe annual Roger Frampton

Freeze-Out Poker Tournament, anMTA fundraiser, is an annual high-light of the MTA conventions.

And though winners receivesome cash, more importantly theyearn a year’s worth of braggingrights.

This year’s tournament kicksoff Monday, Sept. 8, at 9 p.m. atthe Cat’s Paw, just down 7thAvenue from the host GranTreeInn. By the end of the evening, thenumber of players will be cutdown to a final 10.

The finals are Tuesday, andbegin at 9 again. However, every-body can get in the act with aCalcutta on the remaining playersbefore the championship roundstarts.

Poker players can join the tour-nament for a $100 entry fee,though if they’re about to be elimi-nated, they can kick in for anotherstack of chips as the games get hot.When the tournament is finished,the top winners split the pot withMTA. The champion also walksaway with a trophy.

The poker tournament is offi-cially the Roger FramptonMemorial Texas Hold-EmTournament. Roger Frampton, ofthe Flathead area Best Bet Group,was an avid poker player and win-ner of the 2006 poker tournament.

Players are encouraged to pre-register with the MTA office at406-442-5040.

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tors, who will also answer ques-tions.

Some changes are coming thisyear. For one, the Trade Show willrun just one day, on Tuesday from10 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, noother activities will be scheduledduring that time, so conferencegoers will have plenty of time tosee the “newest and greatest” at theTrade Show.

In addition, organizers havechanged the golf tournament for-mat to make it more “golfer friend-ly” to encourage more people to

Conventionfrom Page 1

play, said Andrew Cetraro, golfchairman.

Also new this year will be fourseminars on Wednesday morningto provide additional informationto attending tavern owners.

“Everything is going well,”MTA Administrator Chris Caldwellsaid. “The local Gallatin Countytavern owners have done a greatjob.”

“We have a great committee,”Ferraro added.

In addition to the conventionactivities, attendees will find plen-ty more to do in and aroundBozeman, which prides itself onoffering a small-town feel withbig-city amenities. DowntownBozeman is a great example, offer-ing a variety of art galleries, uniquelocal shops, and great places to eat,both casual and fancy.

Bozeman, its Chamber says, isone of the “most diverse smalltowns in the Rocky MountainWest.” In addition to the numerousattractions in Bozeman, many oth-ers are within a short drive, includ-ing Yellowstone National Park.

For more on Bozeman, visitwww.bozemanchamber.com.

The convention is open to allMontana licensed beverage retail-ers, not just members of the MTA.

Caldwell added that licenseholders can pre-register until Sept.5, though they can register at theconvention as well.

Bozeman last hosted the MTAconvention in 2000. What was hap-pening in 2000?

Bill Clinton was U.S. presidentthen, but the November 2000 elec-tions saw Republican George W.Bush narrowly lose the popularvote to Democrat Al Gore, butdefeat Gore in the ElectoralCollege to win the presidency. And“hanging chads” entered the coun-try’s lexicon.

The Montana governor wasMarc Racicot, but Republican JudyMartz in November would defeatDemocrat Mark O’Keefe tobecome the state’s first womangovernor.

And, of course, the MTA presi-dent then was Jim Grubbs of theClub 90 in Billings.

What else marked the year2000? The concerns over Y2Kpassed without the serious, wide-spread computer failures and mal-functions that had been predicted.

The cost of a gallon of gas was$1.26, and a U.S. postage stampcost 33 cents.

In the world of sports, TigerWoods becomes the youngest play-er to win a Grand Slam in golf.

In entertainment, 51 millionviewers watched the first seasonfinale of the reality show"Survivor," and “Cast Away” and“Perfect Storm” were box officehits.


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Features all-beverage license, land,and building. 60' frontage on Main,includes flower shop (leased). $495,500.

Fat Fender Freddy'sLocated on very busy Hwy. 212

on outskirts of Laurel, MT. BordersRiverside Park, Yellowstone River.Full bar, casino, restaurant (leased).Includes land (1.22 acres), building,(6,600+ sf), all FF&E. $880,000.Bob Pulley, Real Estate Broker,

406-670-7947

Mother Lode Casino,Restaurant & Lounge –

Thompson FallsBEST BUY TO COMEAROUND IN A LONG TIME!PRICE JUST REDUCED BY$325,000. Owners are in theirlate 70s and want to retire.Casino, restaurant and loungeright on Main Street. WHAT AREAL MONEY MAKER! Wellestablished with many years ofbusiness. A full-beverage liquorlicense and gaming license withmaximum 20 owned gamingmachines. Complete restaurantwith great seating. Property hastwo connected buildings. Onehas a second floor with anapartment that includes a livingroom, kitchen, bedroom andbathroom. Reduced from$875,000. THIS IS A GREATBUY AT $550,000. LyleDunham, agent, 406-425-0180.

M&M Cigar StoreButte, Montana

World famous 9,000 sf bar,grill & casino located in theheart of historic Uptown Butte.M&M provides full-beveragelicense with gaming. Therefurbished main floor ofthree-story facility has the bar,restaurant and gaming facility.This is a Historic Landmark ...“the doors never close.” Saleincludes land, building, liquorlicense, gaming machines &FF&E. $495,000 Lyle Dunham,agent, 406-425-0180.

BAR, CASINO, ANDRESTAURANT - MISSOULABeer and wine license withcasino and restaurant in Missoulawith 4,900 sf building in goodcondition. Equipment all ingood condition. Profitablebusiness. Excellent parking on20,000 sf lot located on southside of town with excellentexposure and traffic. $1,495,000.Contact Tex Cates of CatesRealty, 406-728-6100.

Color Pages - 201,2,3,4,5,6,9,10,11,12,15,16,17,18,19,20

Established bar with full liquor & gaming license in Great Falls.· Complete turnkey operation;· Newly remodeled building;· New bar & furniture;· New Aloha P.O.S. System;· Surveillance camera system.$395,000. Call (907) 252-6493

SPRING CREEK BAR, RESTAURANT AND RV PARK

This is a year-round establishmentlocated on ten treed acres in the WolfMountains near the Sarpy CreekMine. Sale includes liquor license,furniture, fixtures and equipmentalong with two rental units. A four-bedroom residence for owner or manager is included. Health forcessale. $500,000. Call 406-342-5414.

Montana agency liquor store for salein Cut Bank. Serious inquiries only.Call 406-949-4442.

City of Billings Beer and WineLicense with gaming (PENDING).This license is ready to transfer!$350,000

Tremendous Location!!!Billings Bar, Lounge, Casino,Liquor Store. Includes AllBeverage License, 1.6 acres Land,3,745 sf building. Three incomestreams – excellent cash flow!$1,900,000City of Billings Caberet LicenseChuck Platt [email protected]/MAX of BillingsCommercial Division


LICENSES FOR SALEBUSINESSES FOR SALE BUSINESSES FOR SALEBUSINESSES FOR SALE

Just $4.50 per line

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MTT • Buy • Sell •Trade

EQUIPMENT TO BUY, SELL

THE OLD SALOON AND LIVERY STABLE STEAK HOUSE

(Price Reduction)Historical Bar/Restaurant withLiquor/Gaming license, Real Estateand FF&E located 20 miles from theNorth entrance to Yellowstone Park.sits on 1.2 acres. Price reduced to$550,000. Possible owner financing.Call Dave Everett, 406-600-0647.

Create your concept ...6,000 sf building holds 266 people.Includes all beverage liquor license,furniture, fixtures and equipment.Located minutes from MalmstromAFB. The building is a landmark tothe local community. $900,000

Tracy Johnson, Broker Dahlquist REALTORS 406-788-0443

Beveridge Air 3 tap beer cooler. $750OBO. 406-442-3096

All-beverage liquor license for sale inW. Yellowstone. Call 406-640-1063.

Casino King, Brilliant Bet, RoyalTouch, Mega Plex, Epic, and MTDmachines for sale. Call Steve, 406-497-6822.

Helena all-beverage liquor license forsale. Call for details. 425-244-7105.

Blodgett pizza ovens with hood,stainless steel 3 compartment sink,griddle, True Beer cooler, and more.406-599-6909. Located in Anaconda.

Bar, restaurant and casino in Bakkenoil field. Well established clientele,full-beverage license with cateringendorsement, great revenue. Greatcentral location. Established in 1955.Serious inquiries only. Call Mike orRandy Severson, 406-482-4566.

The Hideout Bar & RestaurantGreat food, river views in Hamilton,MT. All-beverage liquor license.Casino ready. Price cut to $499K.Bob Pauley, broker. 406-369-0210

Billings all beverage liquor licensewith gaming. $700,000. Seller mayfinance $500,000 over 20 years OAC.Call 406-672-4434.

All-beverage liquor license for sale inSaco, MT. For information contactBrittnee Zanto-DeLaRosa with BearPaw Development Corporation, 406-292-9226 or [email protected]

All beverage floatable liquor license.Will sell with bar, with gaming or sep-arately. 406-323-2347.

Missoula city all-beverage liquorlicense. Motivated seller. 406-370-0146.

All-beverage floating liquor license.55K OBO. 406-490-3706.

BAR, RESTAURANT, CASINOIN GREAT FALLS

22,000 SF building, 2.6 paved acres,2 complete bars, dance floor. Bestview in Great Falls, at I-15 inter-change adjacent to International air-port. Additional 6 acres available. Allbeverage license available. Excellent,proven income. 3 million replacementcost. $800,000. 406-781-9111.

Kalispell All-Beverage Liquor LicenseNo. 07-901-2541-001 for sale. CallMike Nissen, 406-752-4050.

BEN’S ARENA BAR & CASINODeer Lodge. Full liquor license withgaming, plus inventory. Great loca-tion. Selling due to health. $450,000.406-846-1617.

2007 Model 2400GH BroasterGreat condition, clean. Gas heat,single phase, 120 volts, 7 amps. $10,000. Call Kelly Heiser, 406-891-0239 or 406-778-2001.

Full-beverage liquor license withoutgambling. 495K. Serious inquiriesonly. 406-661-1436.

Billings beer and wine licensewith gaming. Price negotiable.Bob Pulley, Real Estate Broker,

406-670-7947

Texas Club in Miles CityWell established bar located on historic Main Street, Miles City,MT. Sale includes all fixtures, furniture, equipment, real propertyand floating all-beverage liquor license. Structure is about 2,750sq. ft. and includes dance floor, darts, TVs, and a partial base-ment. Asking $425,000. Melynda Hould, 406-853-6680. BryanHolmen, 406-853-0576. www.milescityproperty.com

LAHOOD PARK STEAKHOUSE, BAR AND CASINOGreat Investment with numerous possibilities!• Over 1/2 Mile of Jefferson River frontage;• Full liquor and gambling license;• An original, rustic Montana steakhouse

successfully owned, operated for over 20 years;• High tourist traffic on historic Lewis & Clark Trail;• Possible outfitting or fishing lodge potential.

Bill Mercer, Broker, GRI, RRS130 E. Main StreetEnnis, Montana 59729406-581-5574

Includes business, building, land, equipmentand inventory. 3,080 SF building, FF & E on35.46 acres located on Hwy 2 in Cardwell, MT.About halfway between Butte and Bozeman,and 2 miles off I-90, 4 miles from the Lewis &Clark State Caverns. $399,000.

Montana Gaming Group: Montana Gaming Research &...

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