subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sun, Nov 08 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Photos


Alan Cramer stands next to some of the TouchPlay machines he purchased prior to the ban on the video-style gaming machines. Courier photo by Mark Newman.


Published July 24, 2008 09:17 am -

Cramer settles in TouchPlay lawsuit
Machines were banned in March 2006

By SCOTT NILES Courier staff writer

OTTUMWA — He’s reached a settlement with the state, but Ottumwa businessman Alan Cramer remains unhappy over the TouchPlay ban that he said cost him a lot of money.

“Before they had started to outlaw the machines I bought over $1.1 million worth of equipment,” said Cramer, owner of Cramer Music and Video Games Inc.

But when the Iowa Lottery’s TouchPlay machines were banned in March 2006, Cramer said he and many other operators were stuck holding the bill and have been fighting the state through a number of court challenges.

Attorney General Tom Miller “came to us with a low-ball number; but when it got closer to the summary judgment they decided to make the offer a little higher,” he said.

Cramer and other operators were part of the same lawsuit that was recently settled with the state.

He believes he will be receive about $813,000 in the settlement, about $300,000 short of what he owes.

The ban came after legislators said the machines were too similar to casino-style video games and the machines were removed from all bars, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores.

Along with legislators, Cramer isn’t shy about pointing a finger at another entity.

“That is who is behind all this,” Cramer said. “The casinos. They are the ones who wanted the TouchPlays gone and they are the ones who wanted the smoking ban. They have their hands in the state’s pockets.”

On top of the money owed for the machines, Cramer said attorney fees have also taken a bite out of his wallet.

“My attorney bills are probably close to around $100,000,” he said. “The settlement will help keep me out of bankruptcy, but I will still have about $6,000 a month payments for the next five years.

“I couldn’t afford to pay the lawyers anymore; I had to get out.”

Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.



print this story    email this story   






autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Employment Opportunities

PLACE YOUR JOB OPENINGS HERE!!!!
Double the effectiveness of your advertising dollar by placing your job opportunities on www.ottumwa.com.

W
...>MORE

See all ads


Today's Front Page

Subscribe to XML Feeds

 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index