INDIANAPOLIS -
The city and state haven't been able to get it done, but it looks like the Super Bowl is prompting some changes on the local bar scene.
Four well-known bars are voluntarily becoming smoke-free businesses in time for the crowd.
The changes came before a tougher smoking ban could be passed.
Slippery Noodle, the state's oldest bar, went smoke-free January 3rd.
Paul Bowman, a manager at the Slippery Noodle, said it's partly based on "customer complaints."
But he added, "We also have a lot of corporate people coming into town obviously, so that's probably the main reason with the Super Bowl coming."
Once the Noodle snuffed out smoking, the downtown Claddagh, the Old Pro's Table in Broad Ripple and MacNivens on Massachusetts Avenue (which goes smoke-free Monday) followed suit.
Stuart Robertson, the owner of MacNivens, said the Slippery Noodle going smoke-free "made it a lot easier. We were inclined to do it, we've been talking about it and that was the catalyst. We said let's do it."
The decision by the bars comes as the city debates a tougher smoking ban and legislators debate a statewide ban. Robertson said Super Bowl or not, a stricter ban was inevitable.
"A lot of people are coming to town and we're very behind with the smoking thing. Smoking hasn't been allowed in Scotland for six years, so (the Super Bowl) plays a little bit into it, but the Super Bowl will be here and gone and we'll still be here and non-smoking," said Robertson, who is from Scotland and runs the Scottish-themed bar.
Robertson said the response from patrons has been overwhelmingly positive.
Brian Guhl, a former smoker and regular patron at the Slippery Noodle, said he saw "both sides. I see people not wanting to breathe the smoke, but I also see those who want to smoke and should be able to in a warm, dry place."
Adi Ramakrishna, another Slippery Noodle patron, said, "I think people will get used to it. It's already the trend across the country with Chicago and New York and all the other areas. It's about time Indianapolis did it."
Robertson and Bowman predict they'll gain more customers than they lose. They also think other bars will soon follow their lead.
