Kansas City continued to tweak bar hours for the World Cup on Thursday, allowing some bars to stay open almost around the clock — if they convince police they’ve got good security.
The city council voted to let all bars stay open until 3 a.m. It also changed its rules so that bars in the Plaza, Westport, Downtown, Midtown and River Market, Crossroads and 18th and Vine can stay open until 5 a.m. if the Kansas City Police Department OKs their security plans.
In July, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a bill letting bars serve alcohol 23 hours a day during the soccer tournament. Cities had the choice to stick with shorter bar hours.
Initially, Mayor Quinton Lucas wanted to exempt Kansas City from the law entirely, only allowing businesses to stay open until 3 a.m.
“I respect fun. I respect freedom,” Lucas wrote in a social media post last week. “But, Kansas City doesn’t need bars operating 23 hours . . . Worry not, if you want to drink a ton, bars can open quite early. ”
Lucas introduced revisions to the ordinance that would permit longer hours only if a business submitted a plan — like adding security cameras or hiring more security workers — to avoid risks associated with extended hours.
The city council passed the revisions unanimously on Thursday.
Council member Nathan Willett represents Kansas City’s 1st District. He said his constituents who own businesses in the area found the revised ordinance a “common sense solution” to the concerns about public safety.
