Benton County Tops State in Private Clubs

Benton County has more private clubs than any other county in Arkansas (see list here).

According to state records, as of Jan. 13, there were 83 private clubs in Benton County, which is dry. Such clubs are necessary in a dry county if alcoholic beverages are going to be served legally. So, every restaurant that serves beer, wine or mixed drinks in Benton County must receive a private club permit from the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

Pulaski County, where Little Rock is located, was No. 2 statewide with 61 private clubs.

Sebastian County, where Fort Smith is the county seat, was No. 3 with 48 private clubs, followed by Washington County with 42.

Benton County Clerk Mary Lou Slinkard said the $250 private-club permit fees and 6 percent county sales tax on liquor by the drink will generate about $36,000 in revenue for the county this year. Slinkard said Benton County has been dry since the 1940s or ’50s, but she didn’t know exactly when that law was passed. Many Arkansas counties voted to go dry during World War II but later changed those laws.

Private clubs in Benton County paid a total of $577,844 in mixed-drink taxes to the state in 2004 (the most recent year for which figures are available on the Department of Finance and Administration’s Web site). That’s a 17.5 percent increase over $491,903 in 2003. The dollar figures appear to reflect 20 percent of total sales, although that’s not clear on the DFA Web site and nobody from that office was available to answer that question. If the number reflects 20 percent of total sales, that means all Benton County private clubs combined sold $2.9 million worth of mixed drinks in 2004.

Private clubs in Washington County paid a total of $503,455 in mixed-drink taxes to the state in 2004. That’s a 3 percent decline from $518,821 in 2003.

In Sebastian County, private clubs paid $240,188 in mixed-drink taxes to the state in 2004. That’s an 18.8 percent increase over $202,128 in 2003.

For the entire state, the amount paid in mixed-drink taxes in 2004 was $4,911,948, up 2.7 percent from $4,737,771 in 2003.

Benton County also has a very high ratio of private clubs per resident. Benton County has one private club for every 2,166 residents, based on 2004 census estimates. In Pulaski County, the ratio is one private club for every 5,999 residents. In Sebastian County, it’s one club per 2,454 people. In Washington County, it’s one club for every 4,145 residents.

Patricia J. Harper had the most private-club permits in Benton County with five, all of which are in Bella Vista: Metfield Clubhouse, Riordan Hall, Highlands Clubhouse, Loch Lomond Yacht Club and the Kingsdale Club.

Meliton Montes had the second most private-club permits in Benton County with three, all for Las Fajitas Mexican restaurants.