San Francisco Sun

San Francisco, CA – Today, Mayor London N. Breed unveiled a groundbreaking proposal to establish the city's first Downtown Entertainment Zone. The initiative, announced in collaboration with Senator Scott Wiener and other key stakeholders, aims to inject new life into Downtown San Francisco by allowing restaurants and bars to sell alcoholic beverages during outdoor events and activations.

The proposed legislation, championed by Mayor Breed, sets the stage for the creation of future entertainment zones and revises local open container laws to facilitate the operation of these zones. Front Street, between California Street and Sacramento Street, has been earmarked as the inaugural entertainment zone in the city, pending approval.

In conjunction with the entertainment zone initiative, Mayor Breed has directed the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to partner with San Francisco New Deal to launch the Downtown ENRG (Entertainment & Nightlife Revitalization Grant) Program. This program will provide grants of up to $50,000 to support economic revitalization projects that promote new activities, events, and campaigns in Downtown San Francisco.

"San Francisco’s Downtown is seeing a new surge of excitement, and we are thrilled to be the first city in California to take advantage of this new law to bring opportunities that foster joy for our residents, workers and visitors," expressed Mayor London Breed.

Senator Wiener, the author of SB 76 which paved the way for the creation of entertainment zones, highlighted the significance of activating streets with community events to accelerate downtown recovery. "This new entertainment zone does exactly that, in addition to dovetailing with the rest of Mayor Breed’s comprehensive plan to give people more reasons to come downtown," said Senator Wiener.

The proposed legislation will be introduced at the next Board of Supervisors meeting, with plans to enable three bars along Front Street to sell open beverages during special events in the zone. Business leaders like Ben Bleiman and Robbie Silver expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, emphasizing the importance of supporting local businesses and revitalizing Downtown San Francisco.

The Downtown ENRG grant program, now open for applications, aims to bolster the arts, culture, nightlife, and entertainment sectors in San Francisco. "Nightlife and entertainment venues are vital businesses that contribute immensely to the culture and identity of San Francisco. Investing in their success is critical to fostering vibrancy in our city," stated Simon Bertrang, Executive Director of SF New Deal.

The creation of entertainment zones and the grants program are integral components of Mayor Breed's roadmap to the city's future, designed to enhance economic revitalization through arts and culture while supporting local businesses. These initiatives, along with the upcoming SF Live Concert Series and other economic activations, signal a concerted effort to transform Downtown San Francisco into a vibrant and lively destination.