I've lived in Eden Prairie for the past 7 years with my wife and son who now attends the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. I work for IBM out of a home office in Eden Prairie and know there are several hundred other IBM employees who live and work in Eden Prairie as part of the 2,000+ IBM employees in Minnesota. I'm a member of the Minnesota Homebrewers Association and the American Homebrewers Association and we are affiliated with the St. Paul Homebrewers as well as with other clubs throughout the US. I'm writing about the refusal of the city to issue an off-premise sales permit to Hops in Eden Prairie. Our organization was instrumental in getting the new state law passed and has received thanks from the Governor's office for doing so. Now, we discover that the only brewpub in the area is not allowed to sell growlers due to a city ordinance. Hops in Maple Grove is selling growlers, as is Rock Bottom, Town Hall, Great Waters and Vine Park. I'd like to make the city aware of several things: 1 - The law requires that containers be sealed by the brewpub. This sealing is the equivalent of buying closed cans and bottles from a store. The state legislature was not fully aware of this until brought to their attention and it helped allay their fears about too much open drinking. 2 - People who are interested in growlers are not the same people who would buy a keg of Budweiser and cause safety issues. The growler sales are for hand-crafted high-quality beers, not the supermarket, mass-marketed beers. 3 - Eden Prairie is the only city in Minnesota which is not allowing their brewpub(s) to sell growlers. The reasons we've heard indicate there may be a legal conflict of interest. By owning the only stores in the city that sell beer, the city is furthering their monopoly power by restricting competition and punishing a local business. 4 - Eden Prairie will lose business. It may not be major, but it will certainly stand out as a bad example to the rest of the state. Our club has regular events, that will now, NOT be held in Eden Prairie. Others, will take both restaurant business and liquor/beer business to other establishments in neighboring cities and towns. So, PLEASE consider changing the ordinance to allow off-premise sales of growlers in Eden Prairie. Thank you! //Michael Behrendt E-mail - Mike.Behrendt(a)us.ibm.com