Colorado casinos' next quest may be 24-hour alcohol

BLACK HAWK GUIDE
BLACK HAWK - Now that they can stay open 24 hours, Colorado's mountain casinos are eyeing a legislative push to allow them to serve alcohol around the clock.

Operators have found that, for the most part, the slot machines stop ringing and the dice stop rolling once the beer stops flowing.

State law doesn't let businesses serve alcoholic beverages between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Gambling-industry officials say discussions to eliminate or amend that statute - or to create an exemption for casinos - are preliminary, and a proposal may not come until 2011.

But they have already raised the issue with some state legislators, and the Colorado Gaming Association is researching liquor laws in other states that have casinos.

"It's something we're very interested in, but we also know it's a very complicated topic," said Troy Stremming, a senior vice president with Ameristar Casinos, which operates one of the largest casinos in the state and recently opened a $235 million, 33-story hotel in Black Hawk.

For Andy Vuong's complete story, click here to visit The Denver Post.