Soldiers in Alaska can go back to enjoying the bar formerly known as Kodiak Jack’s.
On Friday, Fairbanks-based Fort Wainwright posted on its social-media pages that the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board recommended lifting the off-limits designation for the bar after it changed ownership.
The board met with the new owners at the bar, now called The Spur/Tony’s Sports Bar and Grill, according to the Facebook post.
The meeting led to a unanimous agreement that the new owners have a different business model that makes the safety of its customers a priority.
The NBC affiliate KTVF in Fairbanks said the Army banned soldiers from Kodiak Jack’s in January after a string of incidents caused local police to label the bar a “nuisance property.”
Kodiak Jack’s owner said he was working with the city to ease concerns but ended up selling the bar shortly after the Army’s ban went into effect, according to KTVF.
Kodiak Jack’s was one of the largest and most high-profile bars in Fairbanks, according to the Daily News-Miner.
The owner of the bar said about 80 percent of its patrons are in the military, the newspaper reported.
The police department said the biggest concern was the parking lot, where troublemakers were left after being removed from the bar.
Charlsy is a Reporter and Engagement Manager for Military Times. Email her at cpanzino@militarytimes.com.
