Middletown First to Create Outdoor Refreshment Area
OBC provided a recent update on the lack of Outdoor Refreshment Areas (ORA) in Ohio despite the new law going into effect in April 2015. The City of Middletown's ears must have been ringing because as of November 3, 2015, it is believed to be the first city in Ohio to establish an ORA!
As reported by the Dayton Daily News, Middletown "City Council approved an emergency ordinance to establish [an ORA] in a half-mile space within the city’s downtown entertainment area which takes immediate effect to meet state deadlines." Full text of the ordinance can be found here.
According to the ordinance, the ORA will operate each Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6:00pm to midnight. Covering the area of approximately 103 acres, the ORA is quite an imprint, and hopefully a boost to Middletown's economy. Ohio's Division of Liquor Control must still issue an ORA designation to each of the 5 permit holders within the ORA in order to operate.
Cheers Middletown! Will other cities follow your lead?