Council committee advances plan to create North Wing Coop entertainment district and repeal CCA sunset

The Denver Finance and Business Committee voted at its biweekly meeting to advance a bill and companion resolution to the full City Council that would create the North Wing Coop Entertainment District and clear the way for the city to approve a common consumption area license for three businesses near Mission Ballroom.

The committee chair, Council Member Serena Gonzalez Gutierrez, opened the presentation by saying the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) and the applicant had completed required outreach and inspections and that the item would move to the full council for first and second readings if the body approved the measure. Erica Rogers, DLCP Deputy Executive Director, said the state created the CCA license in 2011 and Denver adopted a five-year pilot by ordinance in 2019 with an effective date of June 1, 2021. Rogers said the department recommends repealing the pilot'period sunset so the city can keep the licensing tool available beyond the pilot term.

Rogers said the application before the committee is from the North Wing Coop Promotional Association and would be Denver's first entertainment district under the program. "This would be our very first 1 since the program has been adopted," Rogers said, describing the procedural steps: public hearing, hearing officer recommendation, city council creation of the entertainment district, inspections and final sign-offs, and then DLCP issuance of the common consumption area license.

Applicant representatives and local operators described the proposal as a placemaking tool. Ali Frieden, who identified herself as representing Westfield and Stanley Marketplace and as a promotional-association participant, told the committee, "This program really is about the flexibility and opportunity to have the choice." Stuart Jensen, a local business owner near Mission Ballroom, said the license could provide needed revenue and help activate an underused plaza: "Having a little bit of increased revenue available to us is huge." The application named three participating businesses in the current CCA footprint: Chubby Unicorn, Peach Crease Club (transcript contains inconsistent spellings), and Left Hand Brewing.

Council members pressed DLCP and the applicant for details about security and policing. Rogers and applicant staff said the promotional association submitted a security and admission-control plan, a health and sanitation plan, and a parking and transportation plan as part of its application. Rogers said other city agencies and the State Liquor Enforcement Division review compliance; "We haven't seen any evidence" of increased DUIs or fights at comparable sites, she said. Applicant staff added that cups would be labeled to show which licensed business sold the drink and that staff receive harm reduction training; they also said wristbands or other admission controls could be added if needed.

Several council members asked for written validation from Denver Police and Department of Safety that no additional overtime or special policing costs would be required. Rogers said staff would provide those written clarifications to the council offices.

After questions and public comment in support, Council President Pro Tem moved and Councilman Hines seconded a motion to send the bill and the resolution to the full City Council for first and second readings. The motion carried in committee without a roll-call vote; the item will return to the full council for action.

Next steps for the proposal are the two council readings, completion of any outstanding inspections and sign-offs, and then DLCP approval of any common consumption area license for the site if the entertainment district is created. The committee asked staff to circulate the security and policing validations to council offices before the full council hearing.