Arvada Debuts Drinking Zone This Week, Denver Could Be Next

It’s been over five years since the Denver Department of Excise & Licenses finalized rules on a common consumption area program for the city — but after a push in Five Points stalled last year, only one completed application has been submitted. Last week, it got a step closer to becoming a reality.

In the meantime, other cities have beaten Denver to the punch. Fort Collins and Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace already have common consumption areas and on Wednesday, October 22, the Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District will celebrate the debut of its designated drinking zone from 5 to 7 p.m. in Olde Town Square at 5700 Olde Wadsworth Boulevard. The event is open to the public and includes a 6 p.m. community toast.

Attendees can enjoy a free drink pass (while supplies last) redeemable at participating Olde Town businesses, including the Stockroom, 12 Volt Tavern, Lloyd’s Tasty Sandwiches, Smokin Fins, Marmalade Lounge, Arvada Tavern, Cheapskates, Cochino Taco, Method & Muse, Olde Town Social, School House Kitchen and Libations, Secret Level, Silver Vines, Tecocalli Cocina and New Image Brewing.

The zone runs through pedestrian-only areas of Olde Town Arvada, on Olde Wadsworth from Grant to Grandview and along Grandview between Olde Wadsworth and Webster Street.

But this isn’t a BYOB party. No one can “consume or open their own alcohol or alcohol purchased from a retail store in the zone,” according to an announcement. Instead, “eligible liquor licensed businesses will serve alcohol in containers that include a QR Code that will readily identify the beverage as a ‘takeout beverage’ able to be consumed in designated drinking zone.”

Sipping and strolling in the area will be allowed from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Will Denver’s first common consumption area be in RiNo?

In May, Denver received its first complete common consumption area license application from Westfield Company Inc., a project that’s been in the works for over two years. The goal is to create an 8,200-square-foot common consumption area in the plaza near Mission Ballroom.

“The basic concept is that at least two liquor license holders can form a promotional association (PA) where they create a common limited area and people can buy a drink from their business and travel with it in a limited area,” explains Eric Escudero, communications director for the Denver Department of Excise & Licenses. “It is not Bourbon Street or Las Vegas open consumption. It’s a much smaller scale. But people can openly drink their beverage in a limited common space.”

As part of the application process, Westfield Company Inc. has formed the North Wynkoop Promotional Association, which would hold the license. Following a public needs and desired hearing, a recommended decision for the application was issued last week.

Now, the executive director of Excise & Licenses, Molly Duplechian, will “review the information from the public hearing, the recommended decision, and any public feedback received over the next two weeks about the recommended decision, and then will issued a final decision order,” Escudero says.

If the license is approved, “Denver City Council must approve Denver’s first entertainment district where this common consumption area would be located, and other future common consumption areas could also be located within that area., Escudero continues. “We anticipate, if the license application receives a final approval by Excise & Licenses, that City Council may review the entertainment district proposal in December.”

While there’s still a way to go before Denver gets its first common consumption area (the one at Glenarm and 16th came in under other rules), we’re closer than ever before, which is something to cheers about — perhaps in Olde Town Arvada this week.