Public to weigh in on Entertainment District

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Mobile City Councilman William Carroll is holding a stakeholder meeting Thursday, January 10 at 4 p.m. at the Downtown Mobile Alliance office. He plans to answer questions about a proposed entertainment district.

Carroll is trying to create an entertainment district in downtown Mobile which would allow you to take your drink with you out the door, within boundaries.

"They can't take them back inside, and they can't take them into another facility; but they would be able to get out and enjoy downtown and walk downtown,” said Carroll.

Click here to see a map of the proposed entertainment district.

Carroll believes the ordinance would encourage more people to attend live music shows, and boosts tourism.

"The more we can do to encourage people to walk downtown and to enjoy our streets and enjoy our environment, the more people will be able to access the businesses that are already there. And it also encourages new businesses to come,” said Carroll.

Even though the ordinance encourages people to leave bars and walk around downtown, some businesses say it may actually help their sales

"Whatever bar you are having the best time at, that's where you're going to go back to. so I don't think it is going to turn business away, but I feel like people will appreciate the downtown as a whole instead of the one or two places they are used to going to,” said, Angie Tolbert, Kitchen Manager at Bier Garden.

Some folks we talked to want to make sure Downtown mobile will remain family friendly.

"I have a child, and we bring our child downtown. I wouldn't mind if there are bars down here that allow people to bring a drink out on the sidewalk. It doesn’t bother me at all. But I still want the businesses to remain professional, and if somebody is walking around with a drink I want them to be professional too,” said Kurt Brown, Mobile Resident.

Carroll said the curfew would still be enforced and police would monitor downtown, just like they do now.  Carroll wants the ordinance to be in place before Mardi Gras season.