Jeffersonville adds to entertainment scene with sale of to-go drinks

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WAVE) – In the past few months, Jeffersonville, Indiana has begun a new venture downtown with its DORA district, a designated area for the open carry of alcoholic drinks.

Essentially, businesses with a permit within designated boundaries are able to sell alcohol to customers who can then consume it outside the business without breaking the law.

The creation of the DORA district was a long-time coming, as Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore has been waiting for the state to finally give the go-ahead. That happened in 2023, a welcome change to accompany the city’s ever-growing event calendar and steady, foot traffic.

“With all the entertainment that’s downtown on the river stage, it was really welcomed,” said Jenny Trich, assistant general manager at Harry’s Taphouse and Kitchen, one of more than seven businesses approved to sell drinks to-go.

Trich said they have seen an economic boost from the new option for customers but very few problems.

“We really haven’t had any concerns,” said Trich. “During special events and things, the city has a great police presence down here. There’s not a lot of crime this way when all of that goes on because there’s so much of a presence. People for the most part don’t abuse the privilege I’ve noticed.”

The creation of Jeffersonville’s DORA district comes amid a tense conversation happening just across the Ohio River in Louisville’s entertainment districts, where alcohol and entertainment has been mixed with a deadly wave of crime.

“Just because people drink alcohol doesn’t mean they have to be stupid,” said Moore.

Derby City is currently under scrutiny for entertainment districts that have seen rising crime, rowdy crowds, and abuse of the law.

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“We are not going to continue to tolerate a culture of violence in this neighborhood,” said District 8 Metro Councilman Ben Reno-Weber (D) hours after two shootings just yards apart in his district on Aug. 11.

The shootings left two dead and one injured in one of Louisville’s most trafficked nightlife corridors.

A few days later, officials announced the roll out of stricter safety measures, with new cameras, more patrols and more enforcement, acknowledging crime continues to happen outside of the bars with code violations.

“Outside of some of the bars in this neighborhood, we’re seeing a lot more tail-gating-like behavior, people just drinking on the street,” said Reno-Weber. ”Clearly, it’s not just inside the establishments that people are getting intoxicated.”

So what does safety look like in Jeffersonville’s DORA district?

Drinks are supposed to be sold in clearly marked DORA cups, and they can only be sold from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. That means even for the few approved businesses open past midnight, the district puts limits on public consumption.

For Mayor Moore, it all boils down to enforcement to ensure the safety of customers with the changes in his city’s entertainment district.

“I love being across the river from Louisville, Kentucky. Lots of things happen over there that I don’t want over here,” explained Moore. “So we take the precautions that they don’t. If you do a criminal activity over here, you are going to be dealt with severely.”

DORA districts were only recently approved by Indiana’s state legislature, though they can be found in other states nationwide.

Kentucky currently does not have a similar proposal before lawmakers, but a few cities in the commonwealth have already created their own, including in downtown Frankfort.

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