Little Rock’s Bourbon Street?

LITTLE ROCK’S city directors have taken a tally, and enough of them decided that people in the River Market District should be able to take their alcoholic drinks on the streets, within limits.

The Ledge gave cities the ability to authorize “entertainment districts,” which are areas in commercial zones that people can carry alcoholic beverages outside. It’s not a new concept, already implemented in places like Bourbon Street in New Orleans and Beale Street in Memphis. Here’s more from the paper:

“The city will permit drinking beer, wine and mixed drinks from open containers in a roughly four-block zone within the River Market area from 5 p.m. to midnight Fridays, 8 a.m. to midnight Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays, as well as during designated hours on certain holidays.”

(First thought: Eight a.m.? Come on, folks. Somebody drinking at 8 a.m. needs an intervention.)

Little Rock follows Mountain Home in setting up its own entertainment district. And there’s some real possibilities for good things to happen here. This could bring more people into downtown Little Rock on the weekends, and increase spending at local restaurants.

Supporters of this proposal say they’ve done careful research, and the ordinance was created with help from the Little Rock Police Department. There’s always going to be differences of opinion where alcohol is concerned. Some folks just don’t want anything to do with that stuff. And those folks are free to avoid four specific blocks in downtown Little Rock on weekend evenings.

The important thing is that the rules are followed. It doesn’t take but a couple fools abusing this to ruin it for everybody. We’ve seen, and smelled, Bourbon Street in the daylight, and it’s not exactly the crown jewel of the city.

But as long as everyone follows the rules, raise a glass to a new economic boost in the River Market District.