Provo • The Utah Valley Convention Center is one step closer to opening the beer taps.
The Municipal Council voted 6-0 on Tuesday to put an ordinance on the March 6 agenda that would create a licensing category to allow exhibitors to sell beer at convention center events. Councilman Hal Miller was not present for the meeting.
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"We don’t have a beer license that fits the convention center," explained Wayne Parker, the city’s chief administrator.
The city currently issues beer licenses for grocery stores and convenience stores, restaurants, bars and wholesalers.
The new ordinance would apply to the convention center, scheduled to open in May, along with any other publicly owned convention and recreation centers, as well as privately owned arenas that seat at least 5,000 people.
The license would require that the beer could not be served in its original cans or bottles. Parker said the idea was to avoid promoting beer drinking as the drinkers carry their beverages around the convention center.
Danny Wheeler, the convention center’s general manager, said the change was needed primarily for shows and exhibits. He said wedding parties would be able to serve alcohol under state laws.
He said the license change would help make the convention center attractive to groups looking for a place to have a public event and provide beer.
"Provo city has done everything it can to ensure we’re not keeping any business away," Wheeler said.
In addition to creating a new class of beer license, the ordinance would also make criminal background checks on people who handle beer in stores and restaurants optional. The current ordinance mandates the background checks.
Parker said the checks are costing the city $150,000 a year. He said part of the problem was that store shelf stockers and other employees who might handle beer had to be checked.
The proposed ordinance would make the background checks mandatory for all other beer licenses.
If approved, the ordinance would be the second move Provo has made to loosen its beer regulations. In October, the council voted to allow beer sales on Sunday, a move that was opposed by Utah County’s Substance Misuse and Abuse Reduction Team because the group said it encouraged drinking.
Pat Bird, Utah County’s substance-abuse prevention coordinator, said he had not seen the city’s proposed ordinance, and said the Utah County Department of Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Treatment cannot take a position at this time.
"If it is not going to increase availability through hours of service, we would not have a problem with it," Bird said.
Twitter: @donaldwmeyers
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