A unoffical UA tradition reconvened yesterday around 5 p.m. - only 20 months in the waiting.

Gentle Ben's Brewing Co. moved from its original location at North Tyndall Avenue and East Second Street and reopened to a crowd of about 60 people, minutes after the last inspector left its new location at 865 E. University Blvd.

The business had been at the Tyndall location from 1970 to 1995, said Dennis Arnold, Gentle Ben's owner.

"(The bar) got punched out of its lease by the Marshall Foundation; we got no consideration," Arnold said.

He said that originally, Gentle Ben's move was supposed to take only six to eight months, but instead, it became a 20-month process.

"No cash flow for 20 months has been hell," Arnold said. "It's amazing to go through the bureaucracy and paper pile."

Arnold said he blamed the time delays on himself, the city of Tucson and the Luna Neighborhood Association.

The process of obtaining approval from the association took five months alone, because it had to sign off on everything, he said.

Arnold said he wanted to recycle building materials from Gentle Ben's old building, but the association would not allow that.

Finances also had a lot to do with the delays, he said.

Construction cost about $1 million and an additional $500,000 was needed to outfit the building, Arnold said.

However, he said the best part of the ordeal was the opening.

"I'm looking forward, not back," Arnold said.

When asked if he was happy with the way things turned out, Arnold said, "Yes, very happy."

The new building consists of two levels - a downstairs restaurant and a upstairs indoor-outdoor bar. The upstairs is elevator-accessible and has three pool tables.

Only the upstairs portion was open last night because the downstairs still needs work.

Arnold said an official opening will be in about 10 days, after the restaurant is completed.

He also said he hired an English chef to cook at the restaurant, which is serving prime rib, rotisserie chicken, vegetarian dinner entrees and a more deli-style lunch menu. The bar will also serve food, but it is more of an appetizer menu, he said.

Bands will probably play at Gentle Ben's three times a week, Arnold said.

The bar's hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. upstairs and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. downstairs, Arnold said.

Sam Hweimel, Gentle Ben's head doorman, said "(Gentle Ben's has) a lot friendlier atmosphere than O'Malley's."

Brian Koppy, a Tucson resident, said, "(This is) the best place in town, (with) a great variety of beer."

Arnold said Gentle Ben's has a total of 17 tanks to brew beer and will normally have seven on tap. Last night, he said four beers were on tap, including a raspberry flavored beer.

"The beer is excellent," said Dave Bowerman, a self-proclaimed Gentle Ben's regular.

Arnold said the new 14,000 square-foot building is twice the size of the old Gentle Ben's. He also said the building can cater to about 500 people and the business has a total of 90 employees.

A group of four University of Arizona students had been waiting a half-hour in line for the famous bar to open.

"This is what the UA is all about, to get together and have a good time," said Matthew Meliker, communications senior.

When asked why they waited in line 30 minutes specifically to go Gentle Ben's, Gautam Mahtani, agriculture senior, said, "We're really, really thirsty."

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