Private S.L. clubs feud over proposed smoking ban

There's a smoking feud smoldering in downtown Salt Lake City.

This legislative session the feud will likely erupt into a war as politicians mull whether to ban smoking in Utah's private clubs — a legal classification of bars and restaurants that serve more extensive liquor and wine menus.

On one side of the feud are private club owners who welcome a smoking ban. On the other are private club owners who are dead set against it. And both sides plan on some heavy lobbying at the Legislature next year.

Mayor Rocky Anderson, who favors a ban, has also pledged to take up the issue as part of his legislative agenda.

This past week a group of influential club owners from downtown Salt Lake City, led by Gastronomy boss Tom Guinney, met with Anderson, informing the mayor they favor a statewide ban on all indoor smoking.

"What private club owners are looking for is an equal playing field for all of us to go nonsmoking at the same time," said Guinney, whose company owns several private clubs in Salt Lake City. "We would like to see a mandate to have an equal playing field."

Already seven states have banned all indoor smoking, and Guinney said he expects indoor smoking will be outlawed throughout the United States in quick order. In Utah, smoking is banned in most indoor locales except private clubs, which were given an exemption as part of a political compromise under the 1995 Utah Clean Air Act.

"It's moving across the nation. It's becoming normal," he said. "We're actually behind the curve in Utah. It's time to catch up."

At Shaggy's Livin' Room, owner Josh Richardson says he would like to go nonsmoking, but if he did he would be at a competitive disadvantage to other clubs that allow smoking.

Like Guinney he supports a Legislature-mandated ban so that all clubs would be on an even playing field.

"From Shaggy's standpoint we do not want smoking," Richardson said. "I would want it all nonsmoking. If there were some places that allowed smoking we would allow smoking."

But Guinney, who along with Anderson is the political force driving talk of a ban, is now taking shots from other club owners who want to keep smoking legal.

Those owners, who also met with Anderson, say banning smoking would hurt business.