The Springfield City Council recently approved an ordinance that maintains the current $250 terminal fee on video gaming machines and requires the terminal operators, who own and operate the video gaming machines, to split the fees with the restaurant and bar owners.
The revised ordinance works to avoid a fee increase which would have placed another financial burden on already stressed establishment owners.
The compromise the city council approved reestablishes a long-standing fee-splitting arrangement between terminal operators and businesses like mine. The clarification will benefit local small businesses and allow our video gaming program to successfully continue.
This year has been difficult for everyone in the hospitality industry. The negative impact caused by the coronavirus has been great and made it difficult for hospitality businesses to survive. For this reason, my business and many other businesses throughout Springfield, support the decision of the Springfield City Council regarding our video gaming fees.
Thank you, Mayor Jim Langfelder, and the Springfield City Council, for listening to our concerns and approving this important ordinance.
Doug Knight, Springfield
