November 10th 2023.
Atlanta's nightlife has been struggling to fully recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the hope of a full recovery could soon be on the horizon. City Councilwoman Keisha Sean Waites proposed the “Atlanta Hospitality Act”, which would extend the bar's last call from 2:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. in an attempt to reverse the 2003 city ordinance that was recommended by Atlanta's Alcohol Technical Advisory Group.
The ordinance was passed in response to a rise in violent crime in the Buckhead district. City Councilman Michael Bonds is aware of the potential impacts of the proposed act. "This has several potential impacts on our city," he told Fox 5 Atlanta. "There is a potential source to raising revenue." The extra revenue could be used to pay for public safety initiatives such as the Atlanta Police Department's take-home car program and the installation of surveillance cameras in high-crime areas.
Shelly Brown, a bartender in the Virginia-Highland area, is of two minds about extending bar hours, saying “I think 2 a.m. is the perfect time for bars to close...everyone is pretty intoxicated at that time.” However, she also worries that it may lead to an increase in crime as people are likely to be more intoxicated. The Atlanta Police Department declined to comment on whether or not they believe this could have any impact on public safety.
This isn't the first time city officials have attempted to repeal the 2003 ordinance. In 2009, former city council member Kwanza Hall introduced legislation requesting the city to extend hours until 4 a.m., citing the economic benefits for the city. The Atlanta Hospitality Act will be introduced at the city council's public safety committee meeting on November 13th. If passed, the proposal would go into effect on New Year's Eve 2023.
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