Bar near sacred Bear Butte a headache for owner

Tuesday, June 19, 2007  

Owning a bar near sacred Bear Butte in South Dakota has been a headache for entrepreneur Jay Allen but he's not willing to give the business up.

Allen faces thousands of dollars in unpaid bills for construction work at the Sturgis County Line venue near Bear Butte. He plans to put up two other bars -- one in South Carolina and the other in New Hampshire -- for sale and has taken on partners in an effort to settle his debts.

He won't be closing the Bear Butte bar though. The Meade County Commission voted to renew his beer license, although he holds a full liquor license

Lakota activists and Plains tribes opposed the venue, saying bikers who come for the annual Sturgis rally would disturb their prayers and ceremonies at Bear Butte.

Get the Story:
Broken Spoke license renewed (The Rapid City Journal 6/19)

Relevant Links:
Bear Butte International Alliance - http://matopaha.org/wp
Defenders of the Black Hills - http://www.defendblackhills.org

Related Stories:
Owner of bar near Bear Butte faces unpaid bills (06/06)
Views: Middle school students debate Bear Butte (04/16)
Bill to create Bear Butte alcohol buffer zone killed (02/14)
Bill to ban new bars near Bear Butte considered (2/9)
Bill to block new liquor licenses near Bear Butte killed (2/1)
Bill would bar new liquor licenses by Bear Butte (1/29)
Opinion: Sacred Bear Butte scarred by biker bar (12/04)
Opinion: Don't use sacred Bear Butte as biker bar (08/18)
Editorial: Tribes need to buy Bear Butte land (8/15)
Kempthorne criticized for skipping Bear Butte (8/8)
Bar near Bear Butte to feature 'Best Breast' contest (8/4)
Rally to protest liquor venues near sacred Bear Butte (8/3)
Tribes gather for summit at sacred Bear Butte (8/2)
Jodi Rave: Indigenous summit at base of Bear Butte (8/1)
Bear Butte camp continues as biker week approaches (7/27)
Man plans topless contests at bar near Bear Butte (6/14)
More beer licenses approved near sacred Bear Butte (7/10)
Major gathering slated at sacred Bear Butte (7/4)
Man plans more development near Bear Butte (6/26)
Native activists work to protect sacred Bear Butte (6/14)
Battle continues over liquor near Bear Butte (05/31)
County blocks vote on beer license near Bear Butte (05/05)
Challenges filed to beer license near Bear Butte (5/4)
County approves liquor license near Bear Butte (5/3)
Protest slated for liquor license near Bear Butte (4/27)
Editorial: Tribe right to buy Bear Butte land (04/10)
Opposition to bar near Bear Butte to continue (4/7)
Editorial: Preserve Bear Butte through land buys (4/6)
Bar near sacred Bear Butte wins beer license (4/5)
Man surprised by opposition to proposed Bear Butte bar (4/4)
White Face: No development near sacred Bear Butte (4/3)
Northern Cheyenne Tribe buys land near Bear Butte (3/23)
Bill to create buffer zone around Bear Butte killed (02/01)
Bill would create buffer zone around Bear Butte (1/27)
Tribes can't collect fees in sacred site case (1/19)
Native American Day at South Dakota Legislature (1/18)
Opinion: Land use plans ignore tribal traditions (12/12)
Editorial: Permanent protection for Bear Butte (11/28)
Proposed bar near Bear Butte still under fire (10/31)
Man to change name, location of Bear Butte bar (10/28)
Respect urged at Bear Butte during high season (08/13)
Non-Indians press for access at sacred Bear Butte (07/16)
Plans for shooting range near sacred site scrapped (01/12)
Developers: Shooting range near Bear Butte still on (12/16)
Plans for shooting range near Bear Butte on hold (12/02)
Developers face deadline on proposed shooting range (11/14)
S.D. commission bans hunting at sacred site (11/07)
Janklow thought of shooting range by sacred site (10/17)
Janklow defends use of grant for shooting range (10/16)
S.D. governor says shooting range grant was OK (10/13)
Lakota group seeks protection of Black Hills (09/19)
S.D. to return grant for Bear Butte shooting range (09/19)
Protections for sacred sites called inadequate (06/19)
Federal funds used for shooting range near sacred site (03/25)
Judge to hear tribal suit against shooting range (3/19)
Four tribes file lawsuit to stop shooting range (03/4)