PILOT MOUNTAIN — Sportsman’s Lounge owner Ronnie Bennett last night asked the Pilot Mountain town board to allow his business’ use of computer gaming machines to continue, even though the board in May voted to put in place hefty fees for such establishments and limit where they can be located.

Bennett said his establishment should be grandfathered in, or allowed to continue as a non-confirming use, because his business was in existence prior to the adoption of the new fee structure and zoning regulation. Bennett owns four stand-up machines for which he sells phone time, which is required to use the machine, and then the customer can play the games for free. The games are not Internet-based, as is the case with so-called Internet cafes, but Bennett would still be required to pay the fees set up by the town.

The board voted to set the business license fee for computer gaming establishments at $2,500 and a fee of $500 per machine at its regular monthly meeting in May. The commissioners also voted to approve an amendment to the town’s zoning ordinance which will allow computer gaming establishments to set up in the general business district only. Bennett’s business is located in the central business district, where Internet gaming is not allowed.

“Recent changes will make a profound effect on my business. These changes was made maybe without even realizing it. I want to make sure everybody understood how it’s going to effect me. Basically you are telling me that I cannot do any more what I’ve been doing for several years — you can’t do it any more on Main Street and if I do, you have to grandfather me in,” said Bennett, explaining that it would take him months to pay the fees because he only makes a couple of hundred dollars a month on the games that he has now.

Commissioner Andrew French said there was a concern about the proliferation of Internet cafés in the area. He said the town set the fees based on what other municipalities in the area had done as an effort so that the town would not become a “Mecca” for Internet gaming establishments.

“What we are talking about here is not the Internet sweepstakes but what I call the stand-up machines and those have been in your building for the last several years. This was something that I brought up at our last meeting as a concern and if the N.C. General legislature would have banned them effective immediately, this wouldn’t be an issue. It really would have been resolved without our involvement,” said French.

Bennett said a judge ruled that businesses can operate four stand-up sweepstakes games per location. He said he has already gotten rid of the Internet gaming machines because of crackdowns on the machines at the state level.

Mayor Earl Sheppard asked Bennett if he could wait for the board to get back to him on a decision in the matter.

In other business, the board voted to reject a resolution to close a public street, Joyce Drive off N. Academy Street. Sheppard said he didn’t like the idea of closing off the right of way to a property owner in that area. The board voted unanimously not to accept the petition.

Marshall Atkins, chairman of the town’s ABC board, said the store recorded $52,535 in sales during June and revenues have been much better than expected.

Police Chief Darryl Bottoms urged the town to turn out and participate in a National Night Out that will be on Aug. 3 at Main Street at the Sandwich Shop from 6 to 9 p.m. Representatives from the town’s police department, fire department along with several other county agencies will be represented. There will be free hot dogs and activities from adults and kids alike.