Jump to full article: Omaha (NE) World Herald, 2009-05-31
Author: TRENTON ALBERS WORLD-HERALD NEWS SERVICE
Intro: La Vista Keno owner Rich Bellino doesn't hide his dislike for the smoking ban that will go into effect Monday for bars and restaurants across Nebraska.
Owner Rich Bellino says a smoker-friendly patio at La Vista Keno will be open by Monday.
A sizable portion of his business comes from smokers, so Bellino got to work on an addition to his building -- one that would allow customers to continue to smoke and play keno in a comfortable, sheltered area.
Using state guidelines, Bellino had a large, enclosed patio built on the south side of La Vista Keno. The patio, which has a keno side and a lounge side, can hold up to 160 people.
To be in compliance, 20 percent of the wall space needed to be open to the outside.
But to make it usable year-round, this patio also features heating from above and below. The floor has heating tubes running through the concrete and heating vents overhead that will allow Bellino to keep a constant, comfortable temperature for customers in the wintertime. During the summer, fans will keep customers cool.
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