Anchorage city leaders are searching for answers in a controversy surrounding a popular downtown bar, Rumrunner's Old Towne Bar and Grill.
The owner is asking the Anchorage Assembly for a duplicate liquor liccense, called a "conditional use permit," so it can run a second bar in its basement known as The Vault.
The Assembly voted to postpone the decision to grant that permit at its last meeting so the bar could address several concerns from neighboring businesses.
One of the complaints addressed at an assembly public safety committee hearing Thursday was regarding the amount of noise coming from the bar at night.
The general manager of the Historic Anchorage Hotel filed a letter with the assembly complaining about the noise.
At the meeting, former Assembly member Dan Coffey -- who is representing Rumrunner's as a private attorney -- said the business will agree to turn down its bass levels at night, and it agreed to keep its front door closed.
But other assembly members are concerned that the bar had been operating The Vault without issued permits from the city's development services department since May.
"I have concerns about basically trust right now," said Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander. "I think if you show you don't have a regard for the rules consistently, you have to prove that you deserve it before i'll trust you."
Coffey says he disagrees with Ossiander's characterization, but he says Rumrunner's has made some mistakes.
"For one, they started out without a general contractor, which is a big mistake when you're in this order of magnitude, so there was a mistake," Coffey said. "Now, they have a gentleman -- licensed bonded, insured -- doing the work."
Rumrunner's has since closed down The Vault until all the permitting issues are resolved.
