To Go Alcohol Beverages

[smeagolsfree]

Wanted to do a little poll here and get the opinions on the subject of allowing to go purchase of alcohol being put forth in the State. It would allow Nashville bars to sell alcohol to go.

[nashvillwill]

This is a terrible idea.

I don't like the idea at all, but the only way I would even consider supporting it is if there were a designated pedestrian only zone. Such as shutting down 2nd ave to pedestrian only traffic and only selling "to-go" beverages in that zone.

But even if they did that, it's an awful idea.

Don't get me wrong, I like a drink as much as anyone. Hell, I brew my own beer. But this would just be irresponsible. So, selling wine in grocery stores is a sin, but stumbling around in Broadway traffic singing "solo cup" is our American right? I just don't get this state.

[captainwjm]

I agree with Will.  I, too, am not often without a drink in one hand, but I've seen the French Quarter and Beale Street and don't particularily want that kind of atmosphere downtown.

[satalac]

Can't wait to see an increase in trash and urine in the streets.

[nashmoney]

So if passed, the bill would let local governments/councils decide correct? I can see it now...pass the law...Nashville says no....ammned the bill to override local government decision. Kind of like what happened with guns in parks.

 

I totally agree this is a bad idea....increased trash, urine, public drunks, public lewdness, and would be hard to enforce.

 

You could easily re-fill the cup with your own stash of liquor and have another drink in hand...I know I would.

 

I guess we shall see.

[arkitekte]

I voted no, mainly because the "to go alcohol" could potentially get out of control, however a fool with alcohol is going to be a fool whether he has that one too many at the bar or in his car once he leaves the bar.

 

As far as controlled districts like Beale and Bourbon, they have their own issues, but in Beale's case most of that is due to what's going on in the clubs rather than the actual sale of alcohol to go. MPD does a good job of not allowing people to leave with drinks. An hour after Beale shuts down you wouldn't know that there were 5,000 empty Big Ass Beale Beer cups laying around. The city also hoses down the street afterwards. 

 

Finally, the person that wants to buy one to go for the road is probably the person that has the leftovers from their pre activity 6 pack in the back seat or the individual that carries a flask in the event they can't buy alcohol somewhere. 

 

This isn't necessarily as big of an issue in more urban places where the biggest issue someone might have with a to go beverage is swiping their transit card the wrong way rather than driving drunk. 

[BnaBreaker]

I tend to agree that this would be a bad idea.  I'm only 31 and still love a good party now and again, and I also have loved the time I've spent on both Beale and Bourbon Streets.  However, as someone else pointed out, those are controlled, pedestrian only districts.  It would be a terrible idea to allow that kind of environment in a place that hugs a heavily traveled four lane road.

[volsfanwill]

I am split here, I would hate for downtown turn into something like beale street. but 

new orleans is its own thing.

another city no one has mentioned is Savannah Georgia. they have drinks to go through out the entire city. when ordering at a bar they ask "for her or to go" but even if you get it for there, they keep piles of plastic cups by the doors for you to make it to go.  I had a great time when I visited. and stayed up much later than I should have, but it was never too rowdy and fairly clean. in other words, Savannah is an example of the good side of the drinks to go city.

[UTgrad09]

I don't think that NOT having drinks to go is any sort of detriment to the city. 

 

To me, the only point of having a drink on the go is if you are in a crowd atmosphere, such as a concert or festival. It's fine if they do it for CMA Fest, and keep the alcohol contained within a fenced area. 

 

Otherwise, for normal nights, the action is in the bars, anyways. What's the need to take the party outside? The sidewalks are already crowded on certain nights, and adding scores of people standing around and drinking will just clog things up further. 

 

And I'm not really that concerned with people taking drinks with them as they head to their cars. The stupid people that do that are probably already drunk driving. This just makes the evidence that much more obvious. 

 

I am, however, concerned with litter. I do think that this would lead to more trash in the streets. Even if Broadway and 2nd are cleaned up, it could lead to trash on other side streets as people filter away from The District.

 

You could certainly argue how much impact the potential negatives would have, but no matter the conclusion, I don't think the potential positive would outweigh it.

 

 

 

So, in summation, I don't support the bill as is. Perhaps an amendment could make it more sensible, and only allow it when the street the bar on is closed (either temporarily or permanently).

[grilled_cheese]

Totally for it as I am for the closure of 2nd and Broadway to non-pedestrians. 

 

Beale street is a blast, not sure what's the problem there.

 

They're making us wait for two years for wine in grocery stores so I wouldn't mind a slow rollout of this or a few test periods.  Saturday night Preds home games, Friday/Saturday night Bridgestone concert, CMA Fest, etc.  If those go smoothly then why not?  Or atleast just on Fri/Sat/Sun.

[Nathan_in_DC]

Wait...is this for selling alcohol for consumption on the street, or for being able to get a six pack from the bar to take home? Pennsylvania restaurants, bars and stores have used the latter method to get around the prohibition of selling beer by any method other than a case by a retail outlet.  If that's the case, frankly, I don't see the big deal.

[smeagolsfree]

It was for consumption on the street. Now it is a mute point as the Nashville Visitors corp. has withdrawn the bill.

[bwithers1]

It was for consumption on the street. Now it is a mute point as the Nashville Visitors corp. has withdrawn the bill.

Additional commentary in the press has suggested that the CVB sold the possibility of taking drinks among/between the Music City Center, the Omni, and the CMHOF to potential conventioneers, who are now disappointed that their attendees cannot do that. 

 

That's what all of this is about:  it appears that the CVB sold an amenity that they could not legally offer.  It seems that this was never about 2nd Avenue/Broadway at all, although obviously the legislation could have enabled to-go open-container consumption there as well.

 

I would speculate that a revised bill might come forward some day with more precise language.  It seems that an additional part of the convention-goers complaint is that they cannot take drinks freely around even within a street blockage.  Presumably if that specific kind of legislation were enabled - for those blocks of 5th Ave only - it would narrowly pertain to the to-go open container consumption of alcohol inside street barricades.  Even then, I don't think that I would favor blocking 5th Ave on anything like a regular basis.

 

I say tell them too bad, drink your drink, then go across the street and purchase another drink, and repeat.  We need that repeat-customer sales tax revenue!