LOS ANGELES – A prominent Southern California shopping district is taking a cue from Bourbon Street and the Las Vegas Strip in an effort to draw more crowds. The Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved an ordinance allowing people to drink alcohol along the Third Street Prominade, provided they've bought it from one of the zone's businesses. The ordinance, voted on in the early hours of May 14, created a new entertainment zone that covers a three-block stretch from Wilshire Boulevard to Broadway. The promenade is for pedestrians only and has long been blocked off to cars. Santa Monica Mayor Pro Tem Caroline Torosis said that the entertainment zone is an attempt to stimulate an area that has seen waning fortunes since the COVID-19 pandemic. "We're trying to revitalize our downtown core, we're trying to support our small businesses, and we're trying to bring fun and joy and vibrancy back to the Promenade," Torosis saidduring the over eight-hour meeting. Residents voiced concerns over safety and public intoxication during public comment ahead of the decision. "If you have no control over the homeless, by not providing the city with enough police, how will this action create more control over those issues?" resident Denise Barton said during the meeting. Local business owners supported the action, saying that the promenade needs to diversify its offerings to survive. "Everything that you've seen in the last six months on the promenade that has opened have been predominantly entertainment and interactive-based businesses," Motty Miranda, a resident and business owner said at the meeting. "When you have these businesses, you have limited capacity of reservations and alcohol is essential in order to pay rent and be successful in a place like Santa Monica." The entertainment zone will initially apply from Fridays to Sundays, between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. A city staff reportstates that, though the ordinance takes immediate effect, the rollout requires that the city and businesses have security and operational safeguards – including appropriate signage and alcohol safety training for participating establishments – before the "regular activation" of the zone begins. The council provided direction to staff to expand the zone to cover the promenade throughout the week from 8 a.m. and 2 a.m. as quickly as possible. The ordinance prevents shoppers from bringing their own alcohol to the promenade, requiring businesses to provide wristbands to show that beverages were purchased in the entertainment zone. Drinks will not be allowed inside shops. There are 13 businesses licensed to serve alcohol on the promenade, according to a city staff report. The city anticipates that the first day the entertainment zone will be activated is June 21 to coincide with the city's Pride on the Promenade event. The Third Street Promenade entertainment zone is the first in the region following the passage ofCalifornia Senate Bill 969in September 2024. The bill expanded the ability to create entertainment zones to local governments throughout the entire state afterprevious legislationgave the ability to the city and county of San Francisco. San Francisco lists four entertainment zones across the city on its website, and Mission Local reported thatMayor Daniel Lurie announced legislation to add five more in April. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Popular California promenade to allow alcohol drinks in the street
