Owensboro indoor smoking ordinance defeated

EVANSVILLE, Ind (WEHT) – An ordinance that would have allowed indoor smoking at the Ellis Entertainment Facility in Owensboro was defeated on Tuesday.

Churchill Downs, the owner of the venue, wanted to change the city’s smoking ordinance. A number of doctors and healthcare workers spoke out against the potential change, which lead the council to table the discussion. Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson spoke on the challenges of dealing with public health and economic growth.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to balance economic development with public health. That being said, there was no support to change it, so we just ‘postponed it indefinitely’ I think they called it.”

The new Ellis Entertainment is being built on a section of the former Town Square Mall in Owensboro. The $20 million dollar project is expected be complete next spring.