Patrice Walsh (Rochester, NY) 12/16/03 -- Five Rochester-area Bingo halls say that their numbers may be up unless Monroe County grants them a waiver from the smoking ban that went into effect in July. The halls have jointly applied for the smoking waiver claiming a 50 percent drop in profits and a 20 percent drop in attendance.
The Monroe County Health Department will review the waiver application. A similar request by a bingo parlor in Syracuse was granted, but Bingo supporters say their numbers alone prove their case.
All of the halls benefit schools, churches, and other non-profit organizations.
Dan Plonka of Bingo Caller Magazine said, "Some organizations have completely lost every single penny of profit--their losses have been over 100 percent. Other organizations are down about 10 to 15 percent; most are down about 50 percent of the profits.
Frances Epping plays Bingo often. Although she doesn't smoke, she said that since the smoking law was passed, fewer people are playing the game, and that means lower jackpots.
"At times they have to lower the prize money, because they don't have enough people in here," she said.
Earlier, all halls built separate rooms for smokers. However, some non-smokers say the situation is worse now because they have to walk through a cloud of smoke outside to get in the Bingo hall.
