City extends alcohol-by-drink hours

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville City Councilman George Wangemann wants Gainesville to stay just the way it is.

"I would hope that you will join me in my opposition and keep Gainesville gainesville, and not turn it into another Buckhead," Wangemann told the City Council moments before the Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to extend the hours to 1:30 a.m. that businesses can serve alcohol by the drink in the city.

"Alcohol is the No.1 abused drug in the world and I don't think it's a good idea to give people any more freedom and access to it than there already is. It's just a bad idea," Wangemann said.

Bob Hamrick agreed.

"I think just to extend the hours to let people take another drink or whatever, we're just creating danger on the road," he said.

The measure came before the council last month led by several downtown restaurant owners who want to help the square develop and nurture more of a nightlife.

Councilman Mark Musselwhite said the city could have extended the hours longer but decided to be more responsible.

"State law says you can stay open to like 4 or 5 a.m. so I think the staff and the city is being very responsible by not letting (businesses) stay open longer. We could have done that and didn't," Musselwhite said.