A Crestwood business owner hopes to hit the bull’s-eye with his proposal for a pool and darts tavern across the street from Crestview Senior Living.

World Martial Arts Academy owner William Winkler approached the Board of Aldermen last week to obtain a conditional use permit, or CUP, for a second business, Pints and Rails Tavern. The tavern would be located at 8920/8924 Watson Road, next to his current business.

The Board of Aldermen voted 7-0 to have City Attorney Rob Golterman draft an ordinance approving the CUP. Ward 1 Alderman Mimi Duncan abstained from the Jan. 24 vote.

During a public hearing, a representative of Crestview Senior Living voiced concerns about Winkler’s proposal.

Mike Longfellow, Spectrum Retirement Communities senior vice president of construction and development, said staff and residents are concerned about the tavern’s proposed hours of operation and possible noise. As proposed, the tavern would close at 1 a.m. during the week.

“When we developed this community, we understood that we were going next door to an existing retail area, and we understood the hours associated with that. That was really our expectation,” he said. “The tavern, again, our concern is with hours past normal retail hours, 9 or 10 p.m., and then of course the things that go along with that …”

Ward 2 Alderman Chris Pickel asked if there would be music or live bands at the tavern, and Winkler said that has not been addressed.

“I imagine we’ll have a jukebox in there, but we hadn’t really thought that far,” he said.

Winkler said restricting operating hours to 10 p.m. “would not work at all” and it seemed the major concern was noise coming from the tavern or its parking lot. He said most teams arrive around 7 p.m., shoot a couple racks then begin to compete.

“The last people in the bars are usually the team captain and the last few people shooting. So it’s not like there’s a hundred people exiting the building at 1 a.m.,” he said.

Winkler said leagues would play Monday through Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. Closing time on Sundays would be around 8 p.m.

Joe Gertken, who owns a franchise with the American Pool Players Association, said the age range of players is mostly 30 to 45 years old, but can range from 25 to 50 years old.

“It’s not a rowdy group of people. They’re competing for prizes … The people seem to stay more sober because they’re actually competing and playing a game,” he said. “Obviously, I’m not going to sit here and tell you nobody’s going to drink over there, he’s opening a tavern … (but) it’s mostly about pool.”

Having the tavern across the street from his existing business is one of the conditions Winkler said would work for him.

However, Longfellow said having a tavern across the street could have a negative economic impact on marketing the senior living center to potential residents.

“I understand the boundary between retail and residential, but if this were a Pay-less Shoes, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

Longfellow said the senior center is making an effort to compromise, rather than completely opposing the tavern.

“… We’re just saying, ‘Hey, we’re trying to be reasonable, can you just restrict the hours?'” he said.

The motion to have Golterman draft an ordinance approving the CUP included the proposed hours and could be considered by the board when it meets Feb. 14.