AZUSA >> A small business owner who has been trying to bring an arcade to the city for more than a year is now concerned about a new multi-million dollar project — with a bowling alley and an arcade — that could be built right across the street.

The City Council on Monday approved a project for its long-vacant “Block 36” site. Following a lengthy public hearing, officials voted 3-2 to support a mixed-use development with a bowling alley and an arcade, and rejected a proposal for a similar development that included a Laemmle theater.

Now, Michael Watson, who has been trying to move his arcade to Azusa since last April, wonders how this new project could impact his business, provided he gets the final approval to open his doors. To date, he has spent about $80,000 to bring the 100-year-old building he hoped to move in to up to code.

“I’m renting an empty space, I’m losing sponsors and my fan base is slowly dwindling,” he said. “We do have our own clientele. But still, I’m worried.”

The deciding vote from Mayor Joe Rocha on Monday for the Block 36 bowling alley proposal was one made out of “loyalty” to another theater in town whose owner feared a new independent movie theater would compete with his business. Watson wonders why there wasn’t similar concern over his livelihood.

The Super Arcade that Watson owned in Walnut had been open since the 1980s, before he closed the business in December 2014. While searching for a new location, he found Azusa’s Edgewood Shopping Center. But getting Azusa to accept his project proved to be a daunting task.

Watson first submitted an application to the Planning Department in April 2015. He was twice denied by the Planning Commission after residents and commissioners questioned the safety and cleanliness of the shopping center. They also were concerned about what kind of customers would frequent the coin-operated video game arcade.

Watson considered appealing the decision, but the city helped him find an alternate location at 123 Foothill Blvd. Watson was granted two minor-use permits in September, and he signed a lease that same month.

He planned to open in October 2015. Seven months later, he said has no new target date in sight because he still needs a business license, but new conditions from the city keep coming.

Six months after he signed the lease, he said, the city told him the building was seismically unsafe. An upgrade could cost around $150,000.

“The city could have given me a list of corrections in one bunch, but instead, they are doing it in increments,” he said.

But Community Development Director Kirk Christiansen said the delays are not the city’s fault.

“We have tried to facilitate this because we think there is a benefit to that kind of arcade in the downtown area, especially with the Gold Line,” he said. “If he says the city is holding him up, that’s news to me. I think it comes down to the owner and if he has the financial capital to do the upgrades to bring the building up to code.”

City Manager Troy Butzlaff echoed Christiansen’s remarks.

“It’s been approved and it’s ready to go,” he said. “It’s just that the owner doesn’t have the capital to do the necessary improvements.”

Watson said he finds the city’s assertions kind of insulting.

“Of course I want to keep costs as low as possible, and of course I don’t want to spend over $100,000 to retrofit a building I don’t own, but I have worked to comply with their requests,” he said.

Watson’s concerns grew after the Block 36 project was approved on Monday.

Christiansen said the city was unaware that a bowling alley and arcade was part of the Charles Company’s proposal until a special meeting April 25, when the developer gave a presentation highlighting a new anchor tenant.

“I understand the gentleman’s concern because when he proposed a business at this location, we didn’t know at the time there would be a proposal from a developer to put in a bowling alley, laser tag and arcade,” Christiansen said. “From staff’s standpoint, we never analyzed this, we never gave any input to it, nothing.”

He said at the time city staff drafted the initial report for the proposal, the project included a major grocer.

Still, Christiansen said a final agreement for the project is months away from being finalized and would need to go before the council for final approval.

In the meantime, Watson said he will continue working with the city to get his business up and running.

“The thing that irks me the most is how hard I’ve had to fight to get here,” Watson said. “I’m just ready to get back to running my business.”

An earlier version of this story missidentified a license the business owner was granted in September. He was granted two minor-use permits.