Three local businesses face liquor license protests over unpaid taxes

  • By DAN BALMER
  • Tuesday, January 20, 2015 3:21pm
  • News

Three central Kenai Peninsula businesses are delinquent in paying taxes to the Kenai Peninsula Borough and the assembly on Tuesday approved an ordinance protesting a continuance of each establishment’s liquor license.

Kenai’s Alaska Lanes and Little Ski Mo Drive In and the Copper Top Lounge in Soldotna are among five businesses under scrutiny for unpaid taxes. A sixth business was removed from consideration after bringing its tax delinquencies into compliance with borough code prior to Tuesday’s assembly meeting, according to a memo from the borough finance department.

Hooligans Lodging & Saloon Copper Top Lounge owes the most among the five businesses, with more than $41,000 in sales taxes due, according to a memo through borough Finance Director Craig Chapman.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Hooligan’s owner Molly Blakeley-Poland said she is working on a payment plan and declined to comment on any details.

Little Ski-Mo Drive In and Alaska Lanes have both been listed for sale. Mike Lott, owner of Ski-Mo Drive In said the restaurant has been closed since the end of 2013. Lott, who owned the business for about 15 years, said he is looking to make a life change.

“I’m moving on to bigger and better things,” he said.

Ski-Mo Drive In owes more than $2,300 to the borough in delinquent taxes. Mark White, realtor at Ron Moore Realty Co. said they have asked $95,000 for the restaurant located on the Kenai Spur Highway with all assets included. White said he expects an offer from a potential buyer later this week.

Alaska Lanes owner Ken Liedes said the bowling alley located on the Spur Highway has been for sale for more than a year and the asking price is $600,000. Liedes said this has been a difficult month after his wife, Johanna Liedes, passed away on the first of the year. He said she was the bookkeeper and he has since brought in an accountant to help straighten things out.

“We have been late on liquor payments before,” Liedes said. “I’m doing what I can to figure things out.”

Alaska Lanes owes the borough nearly $10,000 in sales and real property taxes.

Starvin Marvin’s Pizza in Homer and Terry’s Fish & Chips in Seward are also delinquent in tax payments to the borough.

Reach Dan Balmer at daniel.balmer@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof closes Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Most Read

 

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in