City councilmembers are considering a proposal to bring public drinking to Santa Monica’s popular Third Street Promenade.
The proposal would allow businesses already with a licence to sell alcohol to customers who could walk around with their beverages in designated areas while they shop or enjoy the atmosphere.
Supporters of the proposal believe it could bring a boost to downtown businesses in the post-COVID economy.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Andrew Thomas, CEO of Downtown Santa Monica Inc. “I think it’s the biggest thing that’s happened to the promenade since the promenade was built.”
If approved, the zone would become the first of its kind in the state since Governor Gavin Newsom passed a bill allowing public drinking in areas deemed “entertainment zones.”
The bill defines entertainment zones as “a zone created by a city, county, or city and county ordinance on or after January 1, 2025, that authorizes consumption of one or more types of alcoholic beverages on public streets, sidewalks, or public rights-of-way.”
In addition, the bill authorizes city and county officials to establish entertainment zones, which is what Santa Monica city officials are currently looking into.
Councilmembers are weighing the idea of creating a permanent entertainment zone in an area of the outdoor shopping center, which would encompass three blocks from Wilshire Boulevard to Colorado Avenue.
“My first instinct is to say, eek, I don’t like it, just because it can create a certain atmosphere of chaos,” one local said. “But, I think if it’s managed properly with the right ethics and regulations, I would say it’s a great choice.”
According to Downtown Santa Monica Inc., there will be strict rules around the area.
“Nobody can bring in outside alcohol to the entertainment zone,” Thomas told KTLA’s Sara Welch. “You have to purchase it from businesses here, so it’s not a free-for-all by any means. It will be heavily regulated.”
City councilmembers are set to revisit the proposal at their next meeting in May.
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