Florida officials OK booze-serving gun range -- because they think it will be safer than others

City officials in Daytona Beach, Florida, approved a measure to allow a combination gun range-bar and grille after determining the business would probably have more safety precautions than other shooting establishments in town.

Owner Ron Perkinson told commissioners he plans to turn a vacant building near Interstate 95 into an upscale restaurant with an indoor shooting range, but he said alcohol sales were necessary to keep the eatery profitable, reported The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

City commissioners expressed concern about allowing alcohol and guns on the same property, but in the end, only one commissioner voted against the proposal.

Commissioners who backed the measure said other shooting ranges in the area actually had fewer safety precautions in place and few problems had been reported at those.

Perkinson and partner Edward Staudt said customers who order alcoholic drinks will have their driver's license scanned by employees, and they would be blocked from shooting directly afterward.

Customers may bring their own guns or rent one, and they don't have to order food or drinks to be allowed to shoot.

But all customers will be required to sign an affidavit stating they are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol before they can fire their weapons at one of 12 gun lanes.

The owners also promised they would keep a watch list of customers who cause trouble and call police when necessary.

Perkinson said he would post signs warning that guns are not permitted in the dining area, although he and Staudt admitted they wouldn't know if a person was legally carrying a concealed weapon without a metal detector.

They offered to set up a metal detector if commissioners asked, but they did not.