OKTIBBEHA COUNTY — The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors is looking to change how late resort status businesses can operate after two requests for it were tabled Monday at the board’s regular meeting.
District 2 Supervisor and Board President Orlando Trainer told The Dispatch the board is now waiting on a recommendation from board attorney Rob Roberson on how the county can legally change hours of alcohol sales for resort status businesses before it will vote whether to approve two more properties in the county.
“If that’s something that’s going to be beneficial, and something that’s going to be available, we need to come up with a well researched approach and policy before we can approve,” Trainer said.
Resort status is a certification provided by the Mississippi Department of Revenue that allows a property to sell alcohol at any hour without the need for a kitchen. Local ordinances can limit the scope of resort status, but MDOR also must approve those local restrictions. Since Oktibbeha County is technically a dry county, resort status is necessary to sell alcohol.
Roberson said the two businesses, the Hill and Moor and Dodson Farms, two event venues in the county, would also have to agree to limit alcohol sales to no later than midnight on Monday through Wednesday, 1 a.m. on Thursday through Saturday and no later than 10 p.m. on Sunday.
“We kind of plan on mirroring the ordinance that Starkville has on alcohol sales,” Roberson said. “When that happens depends, because anything the board votes on about (resort status) will also have to be approved by MDOR.”
There are currently three other properties in the county with resort status, including the Starkville Country Club and 4300 Properties, a bed and breakfast on South Montgomery Street and the site of the former Double Headed Eagle Bar and Grill, which closed in January.
Robbie Taylor, co-owner of the Hill and Moor, said he hopes to be approved so he can provide customers with an in-house option for alcohol.
“We want to do everything by the book in making sure that if our customers wish to have alcohol at their events, we can make sure that’s an option for them,” Taylor said.
Alan Page, co-owner of Dodson Farms, believes the sale of alcohol will also make the properties more attractive to clients looking for venues that provide their own alcohol.
“I think it’ll make it easier on the customers because a lot of times now they’re showing up a day early trying to bring stuff for a wedding reception or something,” Page said. “This will eliminate them having to deal with that.”
Both Taylor and Page said they would only sell alcohol within city hours and are willing to work with supervisors to obtain resort status.
How to get resort status
Roberson said for property owners seeking a resort status, they must first obtain a resolution from the supervisors, who will then submit it to the state legislature to become law and then be finally certified by MDOR.
Any changes in local laws regarding hours of operation would also need to be approved by MDOR before being finalized.
Properties that are approved are also regulated by the Alcoholic Beverage Control, which is a branch of MDOR.
Support from Supervisors?
As for a resolution to approve those two properties for resort status, Trainer said that likely won’t happen until after supervisors adopt a new resolution approved by MDOR.
Once that happens, he said he would support passing resolutions to approve those properties receiving resort status.
“I’m open to all ideas, good or bad,” Orlando said. “We just need to take everything under consideration, because I’m not going to just sit here and say that I would be against it. I’m for anything that could help improve quality of life and people being able to enjoy certain things.
When it comes to community development, we have to consider that.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 30 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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