I'm the world's greatest bar, located in the historic Westport neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. Parts of our building date back to 1837, with the largest part being the Albert Boone trading post from the 1850s, selling supplies to the wagon trains which headed west along the Santa Fe and Oregon trails. I have been Kelly's Westport Inn since 1947, and have been host to the greatest customers in the world. Come on by.
And come see us at Kelly's Westport Inn at 500 Westport Road, Kansas City, Missouri.
Gov. Jay Nixon signed a bill this afternoon -- without ceremony -- that, among others things, will allow Westport and other entertainment districts to offer outdoor drinking later this summer.
"Thank God," said Westport business owner Bill Nigro.
State Sen. Victor Callahan, who helped push the bill: "It's a good compromise."
The measure will allow a "promotional association" in a "festival district" in Kansas City to offer limited open-air drinking, subject to some restrictions:
1) 24 festival events per district per year, 48 hours each, with no more than 2 per month, in which drinking will be allowed in "common areas"
2) 10 days a year, customers could go bar-to-bar with open containers
3) The City Council, police, liquor control, and some neighbors must approve the deal
Westport hopes to start the ball rolling now so it can offer a festival around the Westport Art Fair in mid-September. Since the bill doesn't go into effect until the end of August, however, it isn't clear if they can get the needed approvals in time.
Power and Light district president Jon Stephens, in an email:
"We believe that this is bad public policy and could be detrimental to the neighborhoods of Kansas City. This law could allow an unchecked expansion of open drinking in neighborhood streets and do nothing to further the stated intent of increasing art and cultural festivals in our city."
(Why is this no surprise?)
