Dear Mr. Vickers;

Also on the Calgary Herald Q.

I've read that you had some trouble with the City of Calgary recently when you went to officially apply to move Cowboys to the old Office Depot building on 4th and 5th. While I don't agree with how they kinda screwed you over, I'd like you to think of the location where you were going to put your infamous bar: right in the middle of some apartments, condos and hotels. Not exactly the ideal place for your rowdy nightclub.

I have only been to your bar a couple times back in my youth, and to this day I still can't understand why it's so popular. I mean, sure, some of the wait-staff are kinda attractive, and you've got some good tunes there (sometimes) but c'mon. The old building was nasty dirty, expensive, smelly and dangerous.

You feel 'railroaded' eh? How about those residents who live in the immediate vicinity of where you wanted to erect the new Cowboys? Don't you think they would have felt a little railroaded by having you in their backyard? Calling Calgary 'Sleepyville' isn't going to win you any new fans or friends of your establishments in Calgary. In fact, it might make you a couple enemies.

People who have taken up residence in downtown Calgary do so for various reasons. Sure, some may do it to be closer to the vibrant nightlife we have, but others might do it for reasons such as convenience, lack of housing anywhere else, or simply just not wanting to live in the suburbs. For someone to take up residence in downtown Calgary doesn't necessarily mean they want to hear people shouting and screaming at all hours of the night after your bars close. They also don't want to see alcohol induced vomit on their front door steps. I don't think that's unreasonable. But apparently you do.

You might want to consider other areas for your bar... like somewhere not 100 metres from a residential community. How about getting rid of Coyotes and moving Cowboys there? It's closer to the Stampede (which is the time of year you make the most money I believe), there's parking, and not any real neighbourhoods yet.

Cowboys is very well known internationally. During Stampede, Cowboys is the place to go. You must know that it's going to be rowdy no matter where you put it, right? You can't expect people to embrace all your establishments with open arms in their community. You're not happy with the way things panned out? Get over it, put yourself in the residents shoes and find a more appropriate location for your watering-hole.

Sincerely.