Downtown Association Proposes Pilot 'Social Districts' and Open‑Streets Subsidies to Boost Local Spending

Hayden, executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association, urged the committee to pilot targeted social districts and expand open‑streets activations to help downtown businesses attract more local customers and increase dwell time. Hayden said a social district activated for permitted festivals and events would allow customers who buy alcohol from participating businesses to carry it within a mapped district during specified hours, removing the current requirement that a nonprofit sell and retain alcohol proceeds through a separate ABC permit during events.

Hayden described the current process for events such as the Independence Day block party: a nonprofit must secure an ABC permit, purchase alcohol through a distributor and set up separate sales on the street; alcohol sold by a business on its licensed premises cannot be carried into the street event. “The alcohol…