Did the Augusta Commission drop the ball on bars this New Year’s Eve? A few dozen bar owners and beverage workers think so.
About once a decade, New Year’s Eve falls on a Sunday, when state blue laws prohibit alcohol sales at bars and nightclubs. But local governments may designate one Sunday per year as the exception.
Bar owners say the commission chose the wrong Sunday, Super Bowl Sunday, for 2023. That was last Feb. 12, 2023. New Year’s Eve is three weeks from now on Sunday, Dec. 31.
“The difference in revenue between a Super Bowl Sunday and New Year’s Eve is thousands of dollars. It’s not even comparable,” said Adrian Estrada, owner of the Loft Augusta. “Bars and nightclubs, like many of us, are not a destination for Super Bowl Sunday.”
Restaurants that cater to sports fans – and already don’t have to close on Sundays – capture the Super Bowl parties, while the bars count on being destinations for New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day, he said.
“Those are the top two days on our calendar, one or the other, depending,” Estrada said.
Had they been consulted, bars and nightclubs would have stated their preference. “Was there not a calendar present when you chose a Sunday? This is just a fraction of the people that are affected by a vote and we weren’t even allowed to be a part of it,” he said.
The situation befuddled some on the commission when Estrada spoke Tuesday, although a committee discussed it briefly last month. The situation was further confused by the fact that it came to light as commissioners approve the open Sunday for 2024, not this year.
State law doesn’t allow any exceptions for bars on Sundays except the one already designated by the commission, city Senior Counsel Samuel Meller said. Under current laws, for Augusta to add an additional Sunday would likely require voter approval, he said.
Several commissioners suggested workarounds, such as special-event food licenses.
“I’m finding it almost impossible to believe that in Atlanta there will be no bars open on New Year’s Eve,” Commissioner Brandon Garrett said.
Savannah, known for its open container laws and vibrant bar scene, isn’t having the issue. City Press Secretary Joshua Peacock said the city council previously designated New Year’s Eve as its open Sunday.
Estrada said the bar owners were allowed to get special licenses and be open on New Year’s Eve 2017, which fell on a Sunday.
“We took it for granted because in 2017, we were allowed to get that permit,” Estrada said.
That year, the commission changed the city alcohol license to designate New Year’s the Sunday rather than St. Patrick’s Day, which had been on the books, according to meeting minutes.
Planning Director Carla DeLaney said it appeared “a lack of enforcement” took place that year. Most of the department’s leadership and city administration at that time are no longer with the city.
“Where we sit here today is a shame,” Commissioner Alvin Mason said. “When this was brought to us for a vote, I had no clue what the appropriate day was. I’m counting on staff to inform us what the appropriate day is.”
Super Bowl Sunday has been the designated Sunday since at least 2020, according to the agenda item. Bars can pay a fee of $100 to $325 to be open that day.
“Staff made the recommendation for that day and there was an opportunity for it to be changed and no one up until now voiced anything,” DeLaney said.
