Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Santa Rosa Considers Alcohol Sales Permit for Events

Click here for original article!


  • Santa Rosa considers alcohol sales permit for events

  •  Zoom
    Stock photography
    • By AARON LITTLE
      623-2120
      alittle@srpressgazette.com

      Posted Sep. 21, 2015 at 4:41 PM
      Updated Sep 21, 2015 at 4:44 PM 


      MILTON — Special events in Santa Rosa County may soon have access to a special permit that would allow alcohol sales on Sundays.
      Commissioner Rob Williamson brought the issue to the board because he is concerned the extreme physical endurance course Tough Mudder may not return without such an incentive.
      In the spring, the Santa Rosa Press Gazette reported restrictive alcohol sales times may keep the roughly 11-mile obstacle course through mud, freezing water and tear gas from returning next year.
      According to a report prepared by the Brooklyn, New York, based Tough Mudder, Inc, the event contributed more than $6.1 million to the local economy, as well as attracting more than 14,500 out-of-market visitors.
      Tough Mudder traditionally offers those who cross the finish line a free beer for their efforts after both the Saturday and Sunday runs. However, Tough Mudder took place in East Milton where liquor laws prohibit Sunday sales entirely.
      Tourist Development Council Director Julie Morgan said Tough Mudder organizers have “shown interest, but have made no solid plans” to return to Santa Rosa County in 2016.
      “We’re still in initial talks,” she said.
      Williamson’s proposed amendment does not directly name Tough Mudder, but special tourist events. Commissioner Jayer Williamson asked exactly what sort of qualifications an event would need to receive an alcohol sales permit. He said he had several questions such as what number of anticipated attendees might be necessary and the nature of the event.
      By the end of discussion, Commission Chairman Don Salter asked Williamson to work with County Attorney Roy Andrews to come back Thursday with details on how the permit will work.

    Monday, September 21, 2015

    Bill Appalls Duval County’s Citizens


    It is well known in commerce that the merchandise of alcohol is very strictly regulated by the relevant authorities. One reason for this is to be able to control in some way the quantities of alcohol that is being distributed, and additionally, to avoid the selling of alcoholic beverages to minors. The requirements that the state imposes so as to grant a business the permission of selling alcohol are related to specific details such as the place and the time where alcoholic beverages shall be consumed. Consequently, the United States limits the consumption of alcohol to minors below the age of 21 and does not permit the production of distilled spirits intended for personal consumption.
    Furthermore, there are clear limitations on the alcohol that is merchandised by grocery stores. The fact is that the regulations differ from state to state and some counties are even given the possibility of modifying certain rules as they desire, but only to a limited extent. For instance, in the state of Florida spirits can be purchased from retail stores, but the containers should not be larger than 1 gallon. In addition to this, anyone who desires to purchase beer or wine is free to do so from supermarkets and other businesses that are given permission to commercialize low-alcohol spirits. Up to the present moment, people couldn’t purchase alcoholic beverages from retail stores and grocery stores, but a bill that was recently adopted may change the situation. The Florida House panel has recently adopted a bill that will empower retailers such as Wal-Mart to sell liquor. The reason for this is to increase the sales in craft beer. Not many are aware of the fact that state regulations stipulate that liquor has to be sold only in specialized stores and thus be separated from the rest of the grocery store. It is only natural that much opposition has arisen after the passing of this law.
    The first to publicly manifest their disapproval was the sheriff of Duval County that argued the fact that this will have serious repercussions visible in the increase of underage drinking. He voiced the concern that making alcoholic beverages more available to the public does not necessarily represent the removal of a so-called barrier between businesses. Moreover, grocery chains such as Publix disagreed with the resolution taken owing to the fact that it affects the infrastructure that the grocery store has developed especially for the sale of alcoholic beverages. While many are of the opinion that this law will only be beneficial to the running of the business, the truth is that for smaller stores the removal of this wall will actually be more expensive owing to the fact that the liquor licenses costs thousands of dollars that will automatically go down the drain, not to mention the investments made in infrastructure. Additionally, many store owners and employees alike do not have the necessary knowledge of alcohol in order to know how to sell it. Despite all these arguments the bill passed with a 9 to 4 vote.    


    Wednesday, September 16, 2015

    Beneficial Changes for Palm Beach Business Owners



    Whether you own a bar, restaurant or grocery store, getting a liquor license is extremely important. The main reason for this being that the federal and national laws are very strict as far as commercializing alcohol is concerned.  

    Taking into consideration the approach of the busy season, bars, restaurants and shop owners should prepare for an increasing demand, especially in terms of alcoholic beverages. This means not only filling their stocks, but also having all the paperwork in accordance with the law. The summer is, undoubtedly, the time of the year when a large number of tourists, especially northern, come to Florida to spend their holidays, and one of the most popular counties is Palm Beach. However, for restaurant owners, the beginning of the season is a double-edged sword: one the one hand they are starting to have more clients, while on the other, they may not be able to fulfill their demands, due to legal concerns. For instance, if a Palm Beach bar or restaurant has international customers; it will be quite confusing for everybody to see that they can get wine and beer, but not whiskey, vodka or other hard alcoholic beverages. But this confusion is something normal for locals, since legislation regarding alcohol commercialization varies not only from one state to another, but also between the counties of the same state.

    Although the facilities in the area have reached the highest levels of quality, some clients may still be disturbed by the legal limitations in terms of liquor selling and buying, especially if they come from regions or countries where alcoholic beverages can be obtained without any effort. Clients’ satisfaction is extremely important for those who want to create a strong brand and become known in the industry, which is why not being able to serve people whatever they need represents a considerable drawback. For this reason, as soon as the tourist season approaches, owners strive to get their liquor license.

    Although wine and beer authorization may be easier to obtain, those who want the extra mile also apply for licenses of selling distilled spirits. Fortunately, the changes that have been recently made to the legal system of the state of Florida seem to be beneficial for those who are trying to develop their businesses. In spite of the fact that the federal law is still somehow restrictive as far as alcohol consumption and commercialization are concerned (there are certain hours when selling alcohol is prohibited, not to mention that you cannot purchase it from any grocery store), the law that took effect starting July 1st, 2015 brought a considerable increase in liquor sales.


    Apparently, with the season blooming and the laws supporting the alcohol trade, it seems that it is the perfect moment to take advantage and start (or improve) your business in the industry of entertainment. Although alcohol sales have represented an issue years ago, now it has become easier for traders to attract tourists, due to their larger possibility to offer them what they want. The law was aimed to support local businesses: at the moment, bars and breweries are able to store and transport 64 ounce growlers, as compared to 32 or 128 ounce, quantities that made the containers either inefficient or difficult to transport.

    Monday, September 14, 2015

    Ban on alcohol sales in Miami Beach


    The reality is that at present many businesses specialize in commercializing alcoholic beverages and heavily rely on it order to make profit. At present, the income that most businesses such as supermarkets or restaurants generate is represented by alcohol purchases, whether they like to admit it or not. Not just anyone is allowed to sell wine or beer in the state of Florida and this is when the topic of liquor licenses comes into discussion. In essence, the liquor license is a special permit that gives the business the right to merchandise alcohol such as wine, beer and so on for full-service alcohol establishments. The reason for which the merchandise of beverages is regulated by the authorities is that they desire to have some sort of control over the quantities that are being sold and in order to limit the access to citizens such as children that are not yet of age.
    Among the many specifications that a business owner has to comply with is the actual location where beverages can be served. For instance, you are allowed to consume a cocktail inside a bar or have a glass of wine in a restaurant. In addition to this, there are many outdoor locations in warm places like Miami Beach that have been especially set up in order to comply with the needs of clients that desire to take a drink on sidewalks and cafes. As opposed to other counties in the state of Florida that are prohibited from selling alcohol between the hours of 3 a.m. and 7a.m., Miami-Dade County gives liquor stores the possibility of operating at all hours. This is just one of the reasons for which the number of tourists that come to Florida increases each year. However, the world was surprised to find out that the Miami Beach mayor, Philip Levine, gave his consent to the passing of a new bill that prohibits both the sale and the consumption of alcohol in areas such as patios, sidewalks, cafes and many bars between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. The proposal passed from the first reading and the area targeted is Ocean Drive. The main argument is support of this ban is represented by the mayor’s belief that Ocean Drive has developed in recent years into an alarming place owing to the fact that all the night life is concentrated in this spot. By this he referred mainly to the fact that more police resources are needed in order to safeguard the citizens.

    Furthermore, city hall has received numerous complaints regarding the behavior of those who consume alcohol in the sense that they have come to disturb the citizens.  Even the studies that have been recently carried indicate that the crime rate is significantly increased in Miami as compared to other cities. On the other hand, there are those who do not fully agree with the imposed ban arguing that the nightlife attracts tourists which is the equivalent of creating job opportunities and giving small business the chance to make some profit. To conclude, while many totally agree with the decision taken by the mayor, others believe that the presence of the police and the impossibility to serve alcohol outdoor will have a significant impact on the local economy.

    Wednesday, September 2, 2015

    Tampa Says Yes to Alcohol on Sunday



    Lately, there have been plenty of discussions regarding the consumption of alcohol. It is no secret to anyone that Hillsborough County as well as other counties have been facing real difficulties, as the number of deaths because of drunk driving has certainly increased. As it is normal, this issue has raised real concerns about the adequate consumption of alcohol, making the city commission consider several rules of conduct and not only, in the hope of reducing the number and bringing security to the community. Apparently, the discussion was held around the topic of purchasing alcohol during specific hours. It seems that the local committee believes that selling alcohol on Sundays should not be permitted. As expected, this has led to a significant amount of dissatisfaction coming from the public. One has to see matters for exactly what they are. Alcohol is a business, a fast developing, and successful business. There are about 2,850 establishments, owning licenses and selling alcohol beverages in Tampa. By limiting the hours in which these establishments may sell alcohol beverages, the level of profit will certainly have to suffer.

    However, it seems that this is the solution that the committee found appropriate to adequately solve the problem of drunk driving. Thus, taking a vote on this matter is of course the democratic manner of handling a rather disruptive and problematic issue. Even though everyone was sure of the result of the meeting, it of course was required to take place. Apparently, what was a sure thing did not resist and instead, the large public heard the news that selling alcohol would be permitted just before noon, between the hours of 1 pm until 11am, during Sundays. The vote was 4-3 and the commission finally said yes to a more relaxed policy, which in time will certainly have the expected results regarding drunk driving. The audience was stunned and it is only fair, given the fact that not too long ago, alcohol raids were held in Tampa. Raids that led to serious convictions for some parties. Also, discussions meant to draw attention on drunk driving were getting more and more popular, once again trying to send out an alarm signal.


    Hours before the vote, the feeling was that bars, nightclubs, cafes would be losing a lot of money once the tough provisions are accepted. The decision to loosen things a bit was quickly explained by the Sheriff’s Department. It seems that numbers are looking better and the anti drunk driving campaign has had better results than anyone thought. The Sheriff believes that relaxing things a bit now, as a reward for a good behavior, if you will, is the right attitude, helping things to develop properly on the long term. Only time will tell whether or not loosening things a bit was in fact the right attitude. Hopefully, statistics were right and drunk driving is a topic that will soon be corrected.