Charlotte City Council unanimously passes 'brunch bill' for alcohol sales

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Charlotte City Council members Monday unanimously passed a bill to allow alcohol sales to begin at 10 a.m. on Sundays.

Earlier this year, state lawmakers passed the "brunch bill," which would give municipalities the ability to allow alcohol sales to begin at 10 a.m. with their own ordinance. Alcohol sale times at ABC stores would not be affected by the bill.

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Charlotte City Councilman James Mitchell said they received some negative feedback but voted on the side of local businesses.

"There were concerns about extending it two hours and making it earlier. But at the end of the day I think it's great, we're looking forward to it so the small businesses and the Panthers fans can enjoy," he said

The ordinance will start this coming Sunday.

Another big item in which Charlotte City Council members voted on will change the landscape around the historic Ovens Auditorium and Bojangles Coliseum. City Council also approved the allocation of $18.5 million from the Community Investment Plan to build a connector facility between the two venues, which would be called "The Link."

The project would help preserve the buildings and expand their use by creating space for concessions, restrooms, storage, and offices.

When it comes to crime and justice, Mecklenburg County's Drug Court has helped a lot of offenders get back on track. State funding is often an issue, which is why local municipalities often pitch in dollars to help fund court positions.

City Council was also scheduled to vote on spending nearly $40,000 to continue partially funding four assistant district attorneys who would help the drug court backlog and support police crime-fighting initiatives.

The city of Charlotte also planned to make a proclamation Monday night which would recognize the PGA Championship which is expected to be played at Quail Hollow Club August 7-13. The PGA staff is also expected to give an update on preparations for the event.

RELATED: Official: Charlotte to host 2017 PGA Championship

The PGA Championship is one of golf's four major championships and is expected to attract nearly 200,000 people to Charlotte.

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