6/16/2010 10:25:00 AM Philadelphia will seek 'resort' designation to sell liquor by the drink State Legislature will have to grant approval, followed by city vote
Philadelphia officials will ask the Legislature for a special "resort" status to allow the sale of wine and liquor by the glass after a 4-1 vote Tuesday night.
Philadelphia is seeking to be deemed a "qualified resort area" in order to attract national chain restaurants, officials said.
If approved by the Legislature when lawmakers convene in January, the issue would ultimately have to go before city voters.
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen passed a resolution seeking the designation with aldermen Joe Tullos, Cecil Nichols, Roy White and Ronnie Jenkins voting for the measure.
Alderman-at-Large Janice Payne voted against the measure.
"We understand the magnitude of the economic challenges facing our great state," the resolution said.
"This legislation would greatly enhance our efforts to create more jobs, increase tourism revenue and allow us to continue to play an important role in the state's economic recovery process."
The measure will be similar to one put before Flowood voters last summer which they approved by a 3-to-1 margin.
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Article comment by:
Shelly Belk
First of all if anyone wants a drink, its only a short drive to another county to get it. People who have a drink will get it one way or another! There has been and probably always will be drunk drivers on Neshoba County's roads no matter what decision is made. Stop pointing fingers and critically judging others if you call yourselves "true Christians"! Everyone sins! EVERYONE. Its between the individual and God ... Not the public and that individual what he/she will be judged for. For crying out loud, Jesus Christ himself turned water into wine! And no that doesn't mean everyone should become wino's ... My point is, if you're not responsible enough for your own selves to know when to have a drink or when not, to know you should have someone with you who isn't drinking, or to drink responsibly, then don't drink at all! Its common sense folks. Even Christians have a drink every now and then... Including myself, and I love God and he loves me!!
Posted: Thursday, June 24, 2010
Article comment by:
Warren Paprocki
Ahhh, I begin to see now! This ties in to that wacky report from a few months ago that said we didn't have enough grocery stores and restaurants in Philadelphia. I suppose the logic goes that we can attract national-chain restaurants if we allow the sale of liquor and wine by the glass, which might thus give us something to put out on the 16-corridor besides city patrol cars. Without a real change in the economic base, like some new industry, (Restaurants and grocery stores do not qualify as "new industry".) Philadelphia is not going to support anything much better than Applebees, which begs the question “So what?” Why go to all that trouble just to drag in the bottom-end of some obnoxious national chain of whisky-bar restaurants (unless somebody’s getting a “commission”). On the other hand, sans whisky bar, Western Sizzlin and Shoneys are both national chains that have tried Philadelphia. Shoneys got padlocked after a couple months, and Western Sizzlin (#2) got struck by “litenin”. Still, I guess it would be nice to be able to get a real Margarita at one of our fine Mexican restaurants or a Courvoisier with my after-dinner coffee at (?????). OK, I’ll go for it. Oh, and if I could put my vote on the “don’t-hold-your-breath” list for a national chain… I’d like a Red Robin. You can get a cooked-to-order hamburger and an ice cream milkshake with a shot of Bailey’s in it, kind of like a Hard Rock Café (but that’s another story).
Posted: Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Article comment by:
Kyle James
I think this will be great for our town. We need to make some changes in order to grow our town and get some better restaurants. Im a Christian and see nothing wrong with drinking beer, liquor, and wine in modesty. If you dont care to drink then thats your personal decision. Im not going to judge you for not.
Posted: Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Article comment by:
CHARLENE JOHNSON
First of all, liquor and wine is not a sin. The sin is overindulgence. The citizens of Philadelphia must be able to create jobs through other businesses through tourism. It is apparent that if you try to keep a community closed to outside possible ventures there is absolutely no revenue to come into the city. You must open your eyes and hearts to the idea that we must have jobs in Neshoba County. If you take a look at other surrounding counties, they either have jobs or trying to get them in by the same means. So please people, lets move away from the idea that we can control the religion of others and let them make their own choices in life. If you are a christian you make that choice yourself. If you are a christian are you any less a christian if you drink a glass of wine made available to you from a local restaurant? If you are a christian you know your responsibility to family, community and GOD.
Posted: Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Article comment by:
Kasey Moore
What has Philadelphia/Neshoba County become? I am so ashamed of our elected officials and we, as residents, have set back and allowed it. We, as Chrisitans, have allowed Satan to take over. The city of Philadelphia has elected officials who claim to be Christians. It appears that God is NOT who they are working for. Please join me in praying daily that our leaders of Neshoba County, the city of Philadelphia, the State of Mississippi, and America would bow before our Holy Lord and ask forgiveness.
