Good things come to those who wait. The Entertainment District in downtown Texarkana is now officially open. Thanks to the hard work of the Texarkana, Arkansas Planning Commission, it opened to the public on October 16, 2019, beginning with a toast by locals at Hopkins Icehouse.

The district spans across a fourteen-block area of downtown Texarkana. The roads are marked with green stripes to distinguish the boundaries, and signs are posted with hours of operation at the corners of the district. Anyone 21 and over can now walk around outside with an open container of alcohol, as long as it is purchased at a downtown establishment. No underage drinking will be allowed.

The bars and restaurants included in the district include Hopkins Icehouse, Zapata’s, Broadway Sports Bar and Billiards, Verona’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, and The Flying Crow. District hours are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.

This new district is an exciting addition to downtown Texarkana, Arkansas and is expected to draw guests from surrounding areas. The city’s goal is to bring more visitors and businesses to the downtown area.

This is just one more step the city is taking to revitalize downtown Texarkana. “Entertainment Districts have been known to spur economic growth,” says City of Texarkana, Arkansas City Manager Kenny Haskins. “The better businesses do, the better off we will be as a city.”

The ordinance was possible due to a new state law which allows cities with boundaries to designate areas for outdoor alcohol consumption. The city will provide trash cans and daily garbage pick up to keep downtown clean.

The Entertainment District has rules that will be enforced. No open containers can be carried out of liquor stores or taken into vehicles. No open container alcohol may be carried into any business, and no glass open containers are allowed.

Go on down and experience all that downtown Texarkana has to offer. As Adger Smith of the Planning Commission pointed out, “This is the culmination of years of gradual work by the Planning Commission, it’s an evolution.”