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The Troy City Council approved the creation of an entertainment district in downtown Troy.

Entertainment districts were created by an act of the Alabama Legislature in 2012. According to the act, 2012-438, municipalities are allowed to create a defined area in which the state’s open container law is rescinded for designated special events. During special events, patrons purchasing alcohol from a licensed distributor may exit the building and walk around in the entertainment district with an open container, but may not enter another establishment that sells alcohol. Also, alcohol may not be brought in from sources — other businesses, coolers, etc. —  outside the entertainment district.

The maximum size of the entertainment district may not be larger than ½ mile by ½ mile, but can be irregularly shaped.  The entertainment district approved by the Troy City Council covers the eight blocks surrounding the downtown square, the block with the Johnson Center for the Arts on East Walnut Street as well as a portion of the block south of the Johnson Center, which includes The Studio, the block on Market Street where The Warehouse on Market is located, a portion of the block with Flo’s Kitchen on Love Street and a portion of the block on North Three Notch Street with Synco Drugs and BlueKey Properties.

According to information from the City of Troy, the entertainment district encompasses 18.78 acres or 818,252 square feet. The total area is .029 square miles.

Ada Berry and Sophia Austin attended the council meeting and informed council members that the Southern Regional Economic Development Round Table was meeting Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. at New Beginnings on North Three Notch Street.  They said the round table was to discuss how to take advantage of Presidential Executive Order 13985, which was President Joe Biden’s Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government policy.

The council also authorized Mayor Jason Reeves to purchase the property located at 216 E. College St.

The Troy City Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the council chambers at Troy City Hall.