Little Rock city directors will get another opportunity to approve a temporary entertainment district just south of the River Market during today’s meeting, after they chose to delay action last month.
On the agenda for the Board of Directors meeting is a resolution to create the Third Street temporary entertainment district for a period of 13 weeks.
According to the text of the proposed resolution, the temporary entertainment district would begin Wednesday and end Oct. 6.
Boundaries would create a shape resembling a rectangle from the intersection of East Second Street and River Market Avenue heading south to East Fourth Street, west from East Fourth Street to Cumberland Street, north on Cumberland Street to East Third Street, and back to East Third Street and River Market Avenue.
The area contains several eating and drinking establishments, including Copper Grill, Dugan’s Pub, Lucky Lou’s and Dizzy’s Gypsy Bistro.
Entertainment districts allow patrons of specific establishments to purchase alcoholic beverages that can then be consumed in the designated area from open containers. Whether some or all of those restaurants will be participating in the activities intended to take place in the entertainment district is unclear.
District hours would be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
According to a memo from the city manager’s office included with the meeting materials, the Third Street Merchants Association applied for approval of the entertainment district, with an outdoor seating area to be used by multiple restaurants.
At the same meeting, city directors will have the opportunity to approve a resolution extending an existing temporary entertainment district in the Hillcrest neighborhood for three upcoming Thursdays: Aug. 5, Sept. 2 and Oct. 7.
The board voted June 1 to table the Third Street entertainment district resolution for a month, after city directors expressed concerns about activities in the River Market District related to caravanning and crime.
City officials last Tuesday reviewed the agenda for the upcoming meeting, which, like the board’s most recent meeting, will take place at Philander Smith College.
During the board’s discussion, City Manager Bruce Moore said there have been meetings and adjustments with regard to traffic flow.
At-large City Director Dean Kumpuris, who sponsored the motion to delay creation of the district in June, said he would be hiking during this week, but he offered thoughts on the proposed entertainment district.
Kumpuris said he spoke with a police lieutenant about using bollards as a different form of barrier to prevent two police officers from having to man the barricade the entire time it is up.
He expressed hope that having more people on the street in the entertainment district would slow any traffic moving through the area, a reference to the city’s recent troubles with large groups of vehicles traveling together in caravans.
“So it may wind up a win-win,” Kumpuris said.
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