Santa Rosa considers allowing special events to sell alcohol on Sundays


  • September 21, 2015
  • /   Louis Cooper
  • /   community-dashboard

The Santa Rosa County Commission will discuss an idea on Monday, Sept. 21, that would allow special events in the north end of the county to serve alcohol on Sundays, something supporters say could boost tourism opportunities.

Commissioner Rob Williamson has asked that the commission consider a “special event permit” for alcohol sales and consumption. Currently, all Sunday alcohol sales are prohibited north of the East River.

This discussion comes as the Tough Mudder athletic event is considering hosting a two-day event in East Milton next year. On March 7, a single-day Tough Mudder event at the Ates Ranch brought more than 14,000 out-of-market visitors to Santa Rosa County, generating more than 4,100 hotel room nights with a total economic impact of $6.1 million, according to a report from organizers.

Williamson said the idea isn’t motivated solely to accommodate Tough Mudder, “but, if approved, it will eliminate an obstacle to retaining this event or events like it.”

He said the change would “provide flexibility to the county and entrepreneurs who wish to bring special events.”

The ability for Tough Mudder and other special events to attract tourists to Santa Rosa County impacts the county’s bed tax collections, one of the 16 metrics measured by the Studer Community Institute’s Dashboard. Those 16 metrics were developed with the University of West Florida to measure the economic, educational, social well-being and quality of life in the Pensacola metro area.

Commissioners will discuss the special permit idea at their meeting Monday, which starts at 9 a.m. at the Santa Rosa County Administrative Office Complex, 6495 U.S. 90 in Milton (behind McDonald's).

The agenda for the meeting is available at  http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/agendas/09.21.15backup.PDF. The meeting is broadcast online at http://www.santarosa.fl.gov//bocc/BOCC_Calendar/.

Generally, the commission’s Monday meetings – called “committee meetings” – are used to discuss items and set the agenda for Thursday’s regular meetings where final decisions are usually made.

Tough Mudder events – a series of endurance races staged around the nation every year – are normally two-day events that include the sale of beer. This spring’s East Milton event was a one-day event because of the Sunday alcohol ban.

"While the dates have not been confirmed, Tough Mudder is considering a two-day event in the Gulf Coast for 2016. We will be able to make a decision in the coming months regarding Tough Mudder Gulf Coast, as well as other events we'll be hosting," Tough Mudder spokeswoman Jodi Kovacs said in August.

"(Sunday beer sales) is an ongoing discussion with the county, and we're still in the preliminary stages of addressing this, based on county requirements," she said.

Santa Rosa County has a tortured history with alcohol sales.

The sale of wine and liquor was illegal countywide until voters changed that in a 2005 referendum – a change that came after decades of failed referendums. Sunday alcohol sales remain illegal north of the East River.

On Sundays, alcohol sales are allowed in the tourism district south of the East River, but commissioners just this month made those hours uniform on Navarre Beach and the mainland.

Other items on the commission’s agenda for Monday include:

- Discussion of tentative list of initial RESTORE Act projects, totaling $3.7 million. Once the commission adopts the draft Multi-Year Implementation Plan, it will be advertised for at least 45 days for public comment.

The draft plan, including a list of projects, is here: http://www.santarosa.fl.gov//bocc/RestoreDocs/plan091715.pdf.

- A resolution supported by the Defense Support Initiative opposing oil drilling/exploration in the Gulf Military Test and Training Range.

“There is a legislative effort underway in DC to redraw the existing moratorium regarding drilling from 125 miles off the Florida west coast to 50 miles,” Pete Gandy, the county’s military affairs consultant, wrote in a memo to the commission. “This change will negatively impact military test and training.”

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