Assembly Votes to Allow Bars to Stay Open Later on Weekends

Cutoff time for patrons finishing drinks remains 3 a.m.

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By Lacie Grosvold

Story Created: Mar 13, 2013 at 6:19 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Mar 13, 2013 at 6:23 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - The Anchorage Assembly voted at Tuesday night's meeting to let bars stay open until 4 a.m. on the weekends.

Currently bars have to have everyone out until 3 a.m. by law. Members of the Alaska Cabaret Hotel Restaurant and Retailers Association (CHARR) said extending the hours means there won’t be such a crowd for cabs. Doran Powell, who manages Chilkoot Charlie's, said, "We live in an arctic environment, and sometimes outside is not a very welcoming and safe place. We would like the right to not serve alcohol last half an hour." In his testimony to the assembly, Powell talked about how sometimes people would wait a long time for cabs, then decide to drive even if they'd had too much to drink.

The final version was different than the legislation Assemblyman Dick Traini introduced last month. Originally, he proposed bars could stay open until 5 a.m., giving them 2 hours after last call. The assembly amended it to 4 a.m.

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Bar Owner said on Thursday, Mar 14 at 10:38 AM

Read the story, The drinking hours stay the same. This is just stand around and wait for a cab time. Not longer drinking hours. APD would shut the place down if you are serving past 3 am.

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Hate Drunk Drivers said on Wednesday, Mar 13 at 6:25 AM

They will just be drinking later and driving drunker. Was so hopeful that Flynn would pull something responsible off regarding this. Makes me sick. Should have been tabled until March 26 as was requested.

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