By William Singleton
Rocky Ridge will be the first area in Vestavia Hills designated as an entertainment district.
The City Council unanimously approved creating the Rocky Ridge entertainment district during a recent meeting.
The new entertainment district allows patrons to carry open containers of alcohol from one restaurant to another within the district.
Mayor Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza and other city officials have said the entertainment district will promote concerts and other events more conducive to open containers.
“Some people thought this was to allow open drinking, and everybody could booze it up and have a good time, and that’s not what we intend for the entertainment district,” he said. “We’re trying to make something that will help us from an economic development standpoint and also provide some entertainment in our area here.”
Although an event organizer now can apply to the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board for a special permit to sell and serve alcoholic beverages for a concert, approval takes months, Councilman Steve Ammons said. “We’re trying to make it a little more efficient,” he said.
The council was scheduled to approve the Rocky Ridge entertainment district during its Sept. 28 meeting, but because it amended the ordinance, it had to wait for the Oct. 12 meeting to vote on the ordinance.
The change includes setting the hours when the district will be in effect. Events in the district can run from noon-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and noon-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The original proposal had the hours from 9 a.m.-2 a.m. The mayor said the council agreed to limit the hours after consulting with residents. However, an event organizer can apply for a special waiver to extend the hours.
Scott Perry, past chairman of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce board of directors, said board members have reviewed the ordinance and have given it their support.
“We’re excited about the exposure that programming in an entertainment district can bring to existing businesses, enabling them to continue to thrive and encouraging our citizens to visit these districts and be exposed to what these areas can offer,” Perry said.
Based on the state law that allows Hoover and Vestavia Hills to establish entertainment districts, each city can have up to three. Zaragoza said the city hasn’t determined locations for other entertainment districts. “We’ll continue to look at those and see where we can make it function,” he said.