MINNEAPOLIS — Alcohol may soon be available at a few Minneapolis city parks.
The Minneapolis Park Board is one step closer to getting government approval to add alcohol sales at The Painted Turtle at Lake Nokomis Park, in addition to a "mobile bar"-like option at the Sculpture Garden near the Walker Art Center.
“The state had a rule that you needed 25 covered seats in order to obtain a liquor license,” Minneapolis Park Board manager Shane Stenzel says.
“We worked with the legislature to change the legislation to allow for certain areas inside Minneapolis parks to obtain a liquor license without following that requirement of 25 covered seats.”
After the legislature approved that exemption, the park board needed to submit the idea to the Minneapolis City Council for approval.
Tuesday morning the council’s Intergovernmental Relations Committee gave the idea the green light.
The full city council is expected to take a vote later this month.
“The city also needs to approve the liquor license. The vendor here is working on the paperwork to file for that license,” Stenzel says.
If the liquor license is approved, Stenzel says alcohol would still not be allowed on the beach at Lake Nokomis Park and all alcohol containers must be consumed within a specific area around The Painted Turtle.
Stenzel says the park board is also hoping to serve alcohol at the Sculpture Garden near the Walker Art Center.
"We're in the process of negotiating a contract for that location,” Stenzel says. “It will be more mobile in a sense of a kiosk or a cart."
Stenzel says this law change opens the door to all kinds of possibilities.
One idea they might pursue next summer is a mobile food and beverage truck that goes to parks across the city.
"It may be at a park for one weekend and then move to another park for the next weekend, with the food- and beverage-type option,” Stenzel says.
If the full city council approves this idea and the vendors are able to get their liquor license, park officials say alcohol may be available at the Sculpture Garden and The Painted Turtle as early as mid-July.
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