July 12th 2024.
Rapper 50 Cent's highly-anticipated Humor & Harmony Festival has hit a major obstacle as the Shreveport city council voted against allowing public alcohol consumption at the event, as reported by KTBS. The decision was made through a 5-2 vote for Resolution 109, which received mixed reactions from council members. Some expressed concerns about safety, while others believed that denying the proposal would have negative economic consequences.
Councilman Gary Brooks raised issues regarding the clean-up process and security measures, questioning the overall benefits of having an open container zone. "I don't see any tax benefit from people drinking outside," Brooks stated. "I just don't think this is a good idea at all."
The plan, proposed by Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor, aimed to extend the open container zone to the Red River District, which includes Stageworks of Louisiana and Independence Stadium, during the festival. The event is set to take place from August 8-11, with an estimated attendance of 60,000 visitors. According to KSLA, Taylor argued that outside alcohol consumption is a common occurrence in the city and would not pose any problems at the Humor & Harmony Festival. "We have passed an open container regulation," she explained. "We have made amendments and ordinances to adjust the rules for alcohol over 215 times since 2010 with the city of Shreveport administration. So I thought with the number of people coming into the City of Shreveport, this would be a feasible plan since we have done it before."
Councilman James Green shared his thoughts on the matter, stating, "I just think that sometimes fear is based on false information, and we should give it a chance. If it doesn't work, we have a capable police department that can handle any issues. And I am confident that they can manage four blocks." Other council members, like Ursula Bowman, emphasized the importance of maintaining control over the crowd, stating, "We need to make sure that we control the crowd, and the crowd doesn't control us."
The proposed open-container zone was scheduled to be in effect from 5 p.m. on August 8 to 3 a.m. on August 9. City Attorney Marcus Edwards revealed that at least 10 vendors were set to sell alcohol in the zone if the measure had been approved. However, since the resolution did not pass, festival attendees will have to finish their drinks at Stageworks before stepping outside to stay in compliance with the regulations.
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