Sports fans in Georgiana will soon have a new hangout.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, council members voted 3-2 to grant approval to Johnny Lee to open a sports bar in downtown Georgiana. Lee is the owner of Hot Waxx in Greenville.

Council members Jackie Gandy, Joy Cobb and Clementine Pugh approved the request, while council members Byron Ward and Lisa Lowe cast votes against it.

Both Byron and Lowe expressed reservations about bringing the business, which would be located at 504 East Railroad Ave. S., to the downtown area.

“Is there any sort of business plan?” Lowe asked. “Will there be food, or is this just beer and TV? What are the hours of operation?”

Ward said his main concern was the location of the future sports bar.

“That is very close to (Whitney Bank). We have folks going by at later hours to drop off deposits and there is an ATM there,” said Ward. “Some of the ladies already ask for police escorts. I know there could be some safety concerns there.”

Lee was unable to attend the meeting due to a conflict in his schedule, but Mayor Mike Middleton reached the business owner by cell phone during the meeting to get answers to some of the council members’ questions.

Middleton reported Lee planned to serve simple foods such as hot dogs and cheese nachos. The planned hours of operation will be Mondays through Thursdays, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays until 12:30 a.m. and Saturdays until midnight.

Another business owner had previously looked at bringing a sports bar to the city, but zoning ordinances would not have allowed the business to go in at his proposed location on Palmer Ave. close to the nursing home and senior center.

In other council business, approval was given for the purchase of a new water fountain for the Adult Senior Day Care Center. Middleton said the cost would be either $530 or $560, depending on the model chosen, with a five-year warranty.

The council voted not to renew the “National League of Cities” newspaper at a cost of $562.80.

The next Georgiana City Council meeting is set for July 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room downtown.