Starkville is another step closer to having entertainment districts in which bar patrons may carry alcoholic drinks out of businesses and into public spaces.
Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 1223 — also known as the “go-cup” legislation — into law Thursday.
The bill allows Starkville, Gulf Coast communities and 11 other specific Mississippi municipalities to establish leisure and recreation districts in which patrons of bars, restaurants and other alcohol-serving establishments may take their drinks outside of the business provided they stay within the boundaries of the district.
Starkville is the only Golden Triangle community included in the legislation.
Once the bill goes into effect July 1, city leaders may decide to establish the designated districts. While open container restrictions would be lifted, police will still have the ability to enforce public drunk, disorderly conduct and other related laws.
The establishment of the leisure and recreation district would make sense for areas that host festivals — the Cotton District and downtown, specifically — and others looking to expand tourism offerings, Greater Starkville Development Partnership Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Gregory said last month.
“Events like wine tastings, art walks and other cultural events and programs can now come out on the streets and won’t be limited to inside of retailers’ shops. That’s what people want in these areas — the outdoor living component,” Gregory said in April. “We don’t look at this simply as a party opportunity or a free-for-all with drinking.”
Last month, Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker said the Cotton District should be the primary focus of a proposed district in Starkville. He would also support studying downtown and the midtown area linking Main Street and the Cotton District as potential entertainment districts if fellow aldermen show interest, he said.
Walker’s ward includes the Cotton District and a portion of the midtown area.
The “go-cup” bill includes any incorporated city in Jackson, Harrison and Hancock counties and Canton, Corinth, Greenville, Greenwood, Grenada, Hattiesburg, Holly Springs, Jackson, Senatobia, Tupelo and Water Valley.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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