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Government St. building eyed as new location for restaurant and bar

Gretna bar owner Toni Smith says she plans to open The Fourth Quarter restaurant and bar in the vacant building at 3669 Government St., just east of Acadian Thruway, by the end of February. “It’s going to be American: steaks, fries and hamburgers,” says Smith, who spoke to Daily Report from the Tee Kay Place in Gretna. While the Baton Rouge building location has been a Chinese eatery in the past—China Palace in 2003 and China Dragon as recently as 2007—it underwent a transformation as a Mid City sports bar and restaurant in recent years. According to city-parish officials, The 50 Yard Line had the building rezoned to accommodate a sports bar in October 2009; the building later became Changes Sports Bar and Restaurant, whose signage still remains on the property. In May 2012 the city-parish received a permit for a remodeling project at the building, which had been damaged by fire. Smith applied for a business permit on Dec. 4 and says she’s awaiting approval from the parish Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control and Gaming Enforcement before moving forward. A notice on Smith’s intent has been posted on the building by the ABC department. —Adam Pearson