GREENSBORO, N.C. — Update: Greensboro City Council votes against the Social District expansion in an 8 to 1 vote.
The Tanger Center and City Center Park were set to be the next areas to join downtown Greensboro's social district.
However, the city council didn't approve the vote Tuesday.
The council approved a new social district along State Street last month and there is some opposition to the location of the proposed expansion.
City Council member and Downtown Greensboro Incorporated President Zack Matheny said the Tanger Center and City Center Park were excluded from the original plan intentionally.
"The social district, The Boro, has seen success from retailers. There are no retailers by the Tanger Center or City Center Park and thus there's really no reason to expand the map at this point," Matheny said.
Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter said she is leaning toward voting against the expansion but will wait to hear the discussion before making a final decision.
"There’s nothing right there at Center City Park where there are kiosks that serve alcohol or anything like that. Personally, I don’t think we need to add that in there," Abuzuiater said. "If we had businesses around there clamoring for it, yes I would reconsider but right now I don’t believe it’s something that’s going to benefit the businesses around it."
Social districts like the one in downtown Greensboro allow people to carry a special to-go cup with an alcoholic drink from participating bars or restaurants into participating shops.
Vintage to Vogue Boutique has participated since it started last spring. Owner Jennifer Graf said it's been a success.
"We have a lot of people that come in and are surprised that we have a bar," Graf said. "Say they're shopping and they're ready to head out, we can offer them a glass to go outside on the streets with. It has picked up some of the business with the bar but again it's just a plus one for us."
Tal Blevins, who owns Machete, said the social district is expected to be a big boost for his next restaurant, Yokai. It will be a block away from the Tanger Center and he said he'd be in favor of this expansion.
"Open up things like City Center Park because then you could have a place to relax," Blevins said. "There are no benches or parks to sit there with a beer or a drink and enjoy. Sure, La Bauer Park, but it would be nice at the more open areas as opposed to just the sidewalks."
Matheny and Abuzuaiter said with or without this expansion, they would be open to adding other areas of downtown to the social district in the future.