It would have been a putt-putt course to fit the urban lifestyle: fast-paced, downtown, and connected to a restaurant.

The course would have been situated adjacent to the Thompson House (formerly known as the Southgate House) on Third Street and would have incorporated the space currently operating as Bart's Pub & Patio, as a new bar and restaurant.

But on Monday night, the Newport City Commission voted 4-1 to support the unanimous recommendation from the Newport Planning & Zoning Commission to deny the miniature golf course's request for a zoning variance based on the plans not meeting the requirements of the downtown zone. Commissioner John Hayden dissented.

Mayor Jerry Peluso said that he attended the planning & zoning meeting and left during the discussion to check out the site. "I'm pretty much open to anything but when I first heard about this, I didn't really have an opinion," the mayor said. "There are not a lot of putt-putt golf courses out there and I wasn't sure whether or not it was the right fit." He said he understood the business's plan to remain viable during the winter months by incorporating the bar and restaurant component.

"I was struggling with it because I wasn't sure. It was like I was on of those billionaires on (Shark Tank). They gave a presentation and it didn't really jump out at me."

The folks proposing the project have proven themselves to be successful at entertainment and adventure business combos. They own and operate two Scallywag Tag locations in Cincinnati. They also plan to open a new concept in Over-the-Rhine soon, though Zach Leopold, who runs the businesses with his father, didn't want to say too much about that yet.

Leopold attended Monday night's city commission meeting.

"I think that one thing that the city wants to see and that we would provide is some synergy between Newport on the Levee and the other parts of the city," he said afterwards. "I'm sure people go to the Levee for entertainment, amusement, and attractions primarily, and secondarily for food and beverage. If the City of Newport ever expects to see people coming across the street, they have to have similar (offerings). So, mini golf would be more scaled-down and neighborhood and family-focused, which would provide an adequate transition. They need that. They really do. I think that was missed."

After the meeting, Leopold talked at length with Commissioner Frank Peluso who encouraged him to re-work his plans and revisit them.

The plans, however, already fit the type of business that Leopold has executed elsewhere. "We are in the entertainment/amusement business," he said. "One alteration we would make to a standard mini golf is, there would be a variety of action holes, essentially laying a game incorporated with miniature golf such as foosball or skeeball. They take up a smaller footprint and are more competitive, and maybe you're racing to get the ball in first. It's much more high-energy, and typically it speaks to a young adult."

Bart's would be the location of a new full-scale restaurant with a heavy emphasis on being outdoors and would overlook the miniature golf course.

Leopold said that his business currently has a letter of intent with Wayne Carlisle, who owns the property, and that he hopes to build more support for the project soon. "We hope to become a little more educated and then come back around with it in 2016," he said.

Correction: An earlier version of this article referred to the Campbell County Planning Commission as the agency that initially rejected the mini-golf plans. It has been corrected to read as the Newport Planning & Zoning Commission. RCN regrets the error.

Story & photos by Michael Monks, editor & publisher