Some things never seem to change in Russell County
Reply With QuoteElizabethtown KY went thru similar actions and efforts before it when "moist".
In Etown, alcohol can only be served by the drink, at restaurants with XXXX seating capacity, and XXXX percent of total food sales per month compared to the alcohol sales.
What helped this town provide a guy a chnce to have a been with a good meal, was the introduction of chain restaurantes like O'Charlies, Ruby Tuesday, Rafferty's, Red Lobster, and Tumbleweed.
These business can generate lots of tax revenus for the local city and county, and once there, and they lend there support, the city can see real financial gain opportunitites that can help to pay for the additional police force and city/county government administration needed to control by the drink liquor sales, and still safeguard the public by increasing enforcement to insure drivers that overindulge are removed from the roads.
Etown police records show there has been no increase in DUI arrests since the restaurantes have been allowed to serve alcohol by the drink. And yet, the city is benefitting from the increased sales tax revenues, and food sales tax revenues going "moist" has generated along with the introduction of the new chain restaurantes.
Tourism has slightly increased, as out of town folks now can stay in a motel here and have a drink with supper, instead of touring here, but sleeping elsewhere.
Part of the key is the egg or the chicken first. Does the town go "moist" to attract the restarantes that then contribute to the tax base, or do you ask a couple chain restaurantes to come to the town, with the hopes the town will got "moist", which thereby then attracts more chains and more tax income?
I don't blame the local folks for their concerns. J-town is a nice quiet town, and they do see their share of chaos already during the hot boating seasons.
It could make all the difference if the State Park served by the drink, as a say 1-2 year trial basis, so that lessons learned could be generated at the state level, benefitting the local folks who then would not have to take the risk.
And that's all I have to say about that! Jen-naaaaay...........bring me a beer Jen-naaaay!
