Pender County Commissioners vote against allowing alcohol in parks during special events
BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — On Monday, Pender County Commissioners voted whether to allow the sale of alcohol in county-owned parks during special events.
The vote came about due to a proposal that would have brought a collegiate baseball summer team to Pender County.
Like the Wilmington Sharks, the team would have played games at Hampstead Kiwanis Park, with the proposal also including the sale of alcohol during games.
Current county ordinances do not allow the sale of alcohol on county property, though some events can sell alcohol due to them being held on private or unincorporated land.
Commissioner Brad George said he was in support of the change as a way to help bring more people into Pender County.
“We don’t have anything that brings people to Pender County like that and that was one of my main things to bring that sort of, you know, entertainment, family events to, to our county,” George said.
Commissioners voted against the proposed ordinance change in a 4-1 vote, while the proposed baseball team was tabled due to the vote.
Commissioner Randy Burton told WWAY he would support a change to the ordinance if any similar proposals included ways for taxpayers to get a cut of the profits from alcoholic beverage sales.
