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Council OKs Redner Microbrewery Over Neighbors' Objections

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By ELLEN GEDALIUS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2008

TAMPA - Joe Redner and his son got permission Thursday to sell alcohol at a microbrewery the duo plan to open in September.

The Tampa City Council voted 5-2 to let the Redners sell beer. Council members Gwen Miller and Tom Scott voted against the proposal.

Joe Redner, best known as Tampa's strip club king, is going into business with his son Joey. Cigar City Brewing will specialize in local flavors and teach patrons how to match brews and meals. The brewery will be at Joe Redner's headquarters, on Spruce Street near Dale Mabry Highway.

They plan to sell the beer to a distributor, and they also plan to give patrons samples and tours of the brewery. They want to sell the beer in a gift shop.

Residents in the Carver City-Lincoln Gardens neighborhoods are none too happy with the idea. They told the council at a hearing several weeks ago that they were concerned about how the microbrewery would affect the neighborhood's image. They also said they were concerned about traffic.

During the hearing in May, residents also said they were concerned about a nearby ditch. Redner said he was interested in fixing it years ago but ran into snags with the city.

On Thursday, a neighborhood association board member said he was disappointed with the council because he thinks the board is allowing a liquor license because the Redners will fix the ditch.

"Everything the neighborhood said was 'no,'" Lincoln Gardens resident Maurice Harvey said. "We can go to other sources to get the ditch covered."

The Redners said they have no immediate plans to cover the ditch.

"My goal is nothing but to be a good neighbor," Joey Redner said. "It's a little illogical to harbor that animosity."

The council put some conditions on the Redners: hours of operation are limited to 6 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and they will have to come back in one year for reconsideration.

That wasn't enough for Miller, who spoke in support of the neighborhoods. She and Redner battled in an ugly runoff city council election in 2007.

"You can't help this neighborhood grow without protecting them," Miller said. "You're just ignoring them."

Dingfelder countered, "We did listen to the folks that live there.

"This is not a bar. This is not a strip club ... and it's inside a warehouse."

The council is scheduled to consider final approval June 26.

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.

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