McAllen’s Bars Serving Younger Drinkers Should Only Be in the Entertainment District
The recent action by the City of McAllen to limit the development of bars which serve alcohol only and which cater to large groups of very young drinkers is extremely important for several reasons. Many studies of urban development and renewal have shown that the concentration of facilities that serve only alcohol and cater to the very young results in depreciation of property values, loss of business to surrounding entities by patrons, and increased costs to city governments in police patrols. These are very unstable businesses that tend to last just a few months but leave significant negative economic residue when situated in neighborhoods.
The Heart of the City project to renew downtown McAllen was visionary in establishing the South 17th Street Entertainment District. Facilities that serve alcohol only to mostly young people should be located in this area as has been suggested by City. The lighting and layout is more appropriate for later hours and operation. The City can plan for increased police patrol in this area rather than haphazardly planning them all over the city if similar facilities were allowed everywhere. There is a new parking garage which can be utilized for day shoppers and night time entertainment seekers. In addition there is more ready available taxi and bus service downtown to facilitate those that should not be driving. The frequent turn-over of these facilities is better tolerated when they are in a special district than in neighborhoods.
Bars that serve alcohol only should be mixed with restaurants, night time shopping, and venues for entertainment which are all best done in downtown McAllen in the new entertainment district. The history of good government planning and zoning in McAllen is one of the reasons our great city has shined in comparison with the mess that is found in other Valley towns. There are already too many of these facilities in North McAllen on Tenth Street and Nolana. This will be a win-win situation for the facility owners, the patrons, and the citizens of McAllen.
Tony Magaña grew up in McAllen Texas, attended Texas A&M University, served as an officer in Army Reserve, and holds a doctorate from Harvard University. The co-founder of Contempo Magazine has participated in Valley business for over 20 years.He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
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