A Public Hearing is being held tonight in Danbury about an application by Sportech Venues to locate a paramutual betting facility in the City.  The public hearing is at 7pm in City Council chambers on the 3rd flood of City Hall.  A meeting of the whole Council will follow the hearing. 

Sportech Venues, which has exclusive licensing rights in Connecticut, wants to located in Two Steps Downtown Bar and Grille on Ives Street. 

The Zoning Commission signed off on the proposal last year, amending City ordinances to allow an off track betting facility as an accessory use in a restaurant.  Danbury would be Sportech's 17th location in the state. 

Sportech would renovate Two Steps into a sports bar and restaurant on the first floor, with OTB gaming on the second floor. 

The state legislature approved a bill this past session allowing Sportech to have eight more off-track betting licenses, for a total of 24 possible locations throughout Connecticut.