WHITEFISH, MONTANA (September 21, 2007) - A Whitefish bar known for its live music is closing today after a string of liquor law violations led the state to threaten to revoke its liquor license. Flanagan's Central Station was cited eight times in the past three years, and in January the Department of Revenue issued a revocation notice for the club's liquor license.

Owner Jim Flanagan maintained that Whitefish and Flathead County law enforcement targeted his club, while law enforcement said he received the same treatment as other bars. Detective Travis Bruyer is coordinator of the county's alcohol enforcement team, which conducts quarterly compliance checks on Flathead County businesses that sell alcohol. During those checks, an underage person is sent into a bar or liquor store to try to purchase alcohol with a real ID showing the person to be under 21.

"When we started with the compliance checks (in 2005), we did everyone the same," Bruyer said, adding that every time Flanagan's was checked, so was every other bar in the area. Flanagan's was cited for failing compliance checks in November 2005, December 2005, February 2006 and November 2006. On Sept. 4, 2006, the club was cited for remaining open after 2 a.m. and for after-hours alcohol sales. It was cited for the same two offenses four days later, prompting the revocation notice. Flanagan and state officials reached an agreement allowing him to sell the license by Oct. 1 rather than lose it.

[AP article from the local Whitefish newspaper... even though the chip refers to Flanagan's as a bar & casino, there's no mention of gaming in the story.]