In early March, Columbia passed an ordinance requiring businesses that serve alcohol by the drink — excluding grocery or liquor stores — to be certified by the city to stay open late on certain FIFA World Cup game days this summer.
This ordinance is in response to a Missouri law passed last year, which allows any business serving alcohol to be open late any day during the World Cup.
Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesperson Megan McConachie said that the permits are to keep the city in the loop on downtown activities.
"Having folks go ahead and go through with this certification process allows for city officials, especially public safety, to know which establishments are taking advantage of this opportunity," she said.
Lieutenant Scott Alpers with the Columbia Police Department’s special events team said that bars shouldn’t expect anything different from law enforcement during the World Cup.
"It would be a ticket issued to the owner of the bar if, y’know, it was found that somebody was in violation of that and then, y’know, their liquor licenses are obviously subject to discipline along with a criminal end of it," he said.
McConachie also said that only one establishment has applied for the permit as of March 12, with a little over two months remaining. The last day for businesses to apply for the permit is May 12. It costs $100 to apply.
