No video poker in Chickamauga, for now

CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. — It will be at least 60 days before video poker machines could be installed in the historic district of this city that promotes its Civil War heritage and Mayberry-like image.

For Ronald Cline Jr., who raised a hubbub with his application to open a video amusement game room at 123 Gordon St., that’s too long.

“I’ve paid rent for four months and haven’t even been able to open,” Mr. Cline, 25, said. “I’m not wasting any more money in Chickamauga.”

The clamor over his request led to a standing-room-only crowd at the public hearing Monday.

“Citizens spoke up by showing up,” said Beth Powell, president of the Chickamauga Downtown Merchants Association. She’s a co-owner of Granny’s Attic Antiques, a few doors from where Mr. Cline wants to locate, and like most in town, opposes the game room.

“It’s not that we don’t want him to be in business or to succeed, we just feel his particular business doesn’t fit in with our small village type of shops in the historic district,” she said.

Mr. Cline’s intended storefront is at the intersection where downtown’s only traffic light is located. It’s the location more than the operation drawing the strongest criticism.

The City Council denied a conditional use permit and extended a moratorium on such permits for another 60 days. Then the council passed an ordinance to regulate such businesses.

The Chickamauga Planning Commission will meet Monday to amend the city’s zoning ordinance to accommodate video amusement game rooms somewhere in the city.

But the game room won’t be at the corner location “if the planning commission does their job,” City Manager John Culpepper said.

Mr. Cline said somewhere else will work.

“I tried to take advantage of a good location, but I’ll put it wherever they let me,” he said.