Mass. leaders make case for last-minute bill extending summer alcohol sales
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Boston-area business leaders and elected officials urged state lawmakers to pass a last-minute bill letting cities and towns allow early morning alcohol sales during the World Cup.
Why it matters: Greater Boston could have one of the earliest last-call times of all the U.S. host cities, potentially losing out on late-night business.
Between the lines: Massachusetts is bracing for a tourism super-season.
- The Bay State is not only hosting seven World Cup matches but also drawing thousands to Boston for the Tall Ships competition and the Declaration of Independence's 250th anniversary.
Catch up quick: Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are just now reviewing testimony on a bill that would let cities and towns create temporary social districts that can sell alcohol this summer until 3am.
- Rep. Carole Fiola, a Fall River Democrat, filed the proposal in early May.
- Sen. Barry Finegold and Julian Cyr, Democrats representing Andover and Truro, filed a Senate version.
State of play: The Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, which Fiola and Finegold lead, took written testimony on H.5465 from 1pm Friday to 2pm Monday — less than two weeks until the World Cup begins.
- Elected officials and business leaders scrambled to make the deadline, voicing overwhelming support for extended hours.
🧑🏽🍳 Eric Esteves, executive director of the Boston Main Streets Foundation, says the bills, if enacted, would benefit more than 3,000 restaurants, bars, cafes and street food vendors in Boston alone.
- "Small businesses fuel neighborhood identity, tourism and economic vitality," he wrote to lawmakers.
💸 Gov. Maura Healey made a similar case for communities statewide, listing the benefits of extending bar and restaurant service during the packed tourism season.
- "That flexibility can help communities capture more visitor spending, support jobs, keep downtowns active and strengthen Massachusetts' image as a dynamic destination ready to host the world," Healey wrote to lawmakers.
🏨 The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, which represents 1,200 entities, noted that cities in other regions had launched public consumption areas in recent years.
- "This proposal represents a timely opportunity to support the recovery and long-term competitiveness of the Commonwealth's hospitality, tourism, and small business sectors," wrote Jim Rooney, the chamber's president and CEO.
What we're watching: The bill's fate rests in the hands of lawmakers, who would have to advance the bill out of committee for House and Senate votes — with just days before kickoff.