California bill seeks to create "hospitality zones" with 4 a.m. last call
Lawmakers in California are expected to consider a bill that would allow cities to establish zones where bars and restaurants can serve alcohol until 4 a.m., in an effort to revitalize nightlife in the state.
Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) announced Monday that he has introduced
Assembly Bill 342
. The measure would let cities create so-called "Hospitality Zones" where last call times can be extended to 4 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and state holidays.
"Downtowns in California are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels almost half a decade later," Haney, who chairs the Assembly Select Committee on Downtown Recovery,
said in a statement
.
Haney said the measure would boost post pandemic recovery, noting that Bay Area hotel revenue remains down by 45% and restaurant revenue is 20% less than in 2019. The lawmaker also cited upcoming major events in the state, including the next two Super Bowls, the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"Tourists, downtown residents and convention planners are all looking for cities with both vibrant daytime and nighttime economies. Unfortunately many California downtowns become ghost towns after 5 p.m.," he went on to say.
Currently, last call is at 2 a.m. across California. The sole exemption in the state is the
Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team
, which is allowed to have a 4 a.m. last call after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill last year.
Under AB342, cities would have full control over which venues would be granted extended closing times and cities can place additional requirements on venues, according to the lawmaker.
Haney has previously sought to extend last call before. In 2022, a measure Haney co-wrote with State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco)
to extend last call just in a handful of cities
was defeated in the Assembly.
"Local communities should be able to craft their own approach to nightlife, including last call, to meet their local needs. Our nightlife is unlike anywhere else in the world, and supporting it is critical to our economic recovery," Wiener said.
According to Haney, AB342 has support from several business groups, including the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Hotel and Lodging Association, California Travel Association and the Teamsters union.
The measure is expected to be heard by the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee on Apr. 23.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
KC metro cities preparing for ‘onslaught' of tourists ahead of KC2026
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — We are one year away from the World Cup, and cities all over the Kansas City metro are preparing for the hundreds of thousands of visitors it'll bring to the area. The Raytown Chamber of Commerce is working with businesses and other organizations to prepare for the World Cup. They've created Raytown 2026 soccer scarves to get people excited and show off the city's history to visitors. 'We are preparing for the onslaught of the 650,000 tourists that are going to be in our area, so close to us at Arrowhead Stadium,' Jeff Hirst, the Raytown area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism President, said. Missouri House passes bill to keep Chiefs, Royals in state Hirst touts Raytown's convenience as it is located on the Rock Island Trail with a direct path to the sports complex. 'We have plenty of stadium traffic on any given Sunday that the Chiefs are playing or the Royals, and so we're used to that. We're used to adapting to that. This, however, is going to be something completely different, but we're excited about it,' Hirst said. Tom Hadley owns a bar and grill not far from Arrowhead Stadium. 'We are about two and a half, maybe three miles from the stadium. We get a lot of people who come in when we have football games. They come in from out of town, and they look us up, and they love our food and what's going on over here,' Hadley, the owner of Tom's Bar and Grill, explained. He hopes Tom's Bar and Grill will be a spot where visitors can grab a bite to eat and watch a World Cup match with other soccer fans. COMPLETE COVERAGE: Kansas City hosting 2026 World Cup matches 'The World Cup is going to be huge, and I cannot wait,' Hadley said. Hadley looks forward to learning more about the logistics. Hirst says a lot of those details will be ironed out over the next year. 'Next week, we have a meeting specifically with the bars and restaurants in Raytown to go over best practices, culture differences that they may not be aware of, and other items, marketing-wise, that they would want to take advantage of,' Hirst explained. Raytown will continue those meetings over the next year. Cities all over the metro are taking similar steps to prep for the World Cup and the hundreds of thousands of visitors it will bring. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Primaries topple at least two Assembly incumbents — and more could follow
Assembly candidate Katie Brennan celebrates with running mate Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, center, and Jersey City Councilman James Solmon after Brennan declared victory in the 32nd District's Assembly race on June 10, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Ben Ackman/Jersey City Times) At least two sitting members of the Assembly appear to have lost their reelection campaigns Tuesday, though it may take days yet to determine which lawmakers will see their tenures end in January. Democratic incumbents face defeat in the 28th and 31st districts, with the chance of another loss in the 32nd, according to election results that remain preliminary. So far, only one incumbent, Assemblywoman Garnett Hall (D-Essex), appears certain to lose her seat in the 28th District after a single term in office. Three Democrats vied for two spots on the November ballot in this largely Democratic district. Hall sought a second term under gubernatorial hopeful Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop's 'Democrats for Change' slogan after Essex County Democrats backed Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) and former assistant community affairs commissioner Chigozie Onyem over Hall. Hall trails Onyem by 3,563 votes, about 12 points, with nearly 98% of the 28th District's votes reported. The gap between Hall and the two candidates currently in the lead is insurmountable. In the Hudson County-based 31st District, four Democrats vied for two slots, with the incumbent Assembly members — William Sampson and Barbara McCann Stamato — running against one another on opposite slates. Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker, who ran with Sampson, appears certain to ascend to the Legislature, running in first place with 8,453 votes with about 96% of the district's votes counted. And Sampson narrowly leads McCann Stamato 7,161 to 6,853, with Bayonne Councilwoman Jacqueline Weimmer trailing the pack with 6,853 votes. 'We still have an election to go on in November, and we want to wipe Republicans out,' Walker said at a victory party Tuesday. 'And look, I'm happy to say this right here: Steven Fulop, you lost.' Walker and Sampson had the backing of the Hudson County Democratic Party. McCann Stamato and Weimmer ran under a ticket backed by Fulop. Whoever ends up in second place in this contest, one of the 31st District's incumbents won't return to Trenton next year. In the Hudson-based 32nd District, six Democrats vying for two seats were on Tuesday's ballot. Two candidates ran with the backing of Hudson's Democratic Party, two ran on Fulop's slate, and two ran solo. Former New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency chief of staff Katie Brennan leads the pack with 6,762 votes. Her running mate, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, has a narrow edge over Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (D-Hudson), leading Ramirez 6,535 to 6,462. 'We did it. We really did it. We just showed the whole state that the people can beat the party bosses,' Brennan said in a statement Tuesday night. 'This is what democracy looks like when it's not rigged by political machines.' The district also hosts what appears to be the roundest defeat of party-backed Assembly candidates in the state. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in that contest yet. Hoboken Public Library director Jennie Pu and Jersey City buildings director Crystal Fonseca — who were backed by Hudson Democrats — are in fifth and sixth place with 5,152 and 4,964 votes, respectively. Jersey City Councilman Yousef Saleh, who ran with Ramirez on Fulop's slate, is in fourth place with 5,165 votes. Pu, Fonseca, and Saleh face insurmountable gaps. In the 35th District, which represents parts of Bergen and Passaic counties, independent Democrat Newark Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart appears to have won the nomination with 7,298 votes due to a groundswell of support in the Passaic County portions of the district. 'Thank you to every single person who showed up, supported, and believed in this movement,' Stewart said on Facebook. 'We did this together, and I am deeply humbled by your trust. Now it's time to get to work — and I promise to make you proud every step of the way.' He leads Assemblyman Al Abdelaziz (D-Passaic), who won 5,997 votes, and Passaic County Commissioner Orlando Cruz, who nabbed 5,736 votes. Romi Herrera, the district's only Fulop-backed candidate, has about half as many votes as Herrera and is well out of the running. Officials are still counting votes, and they'll continue to receive mail ballots postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day until Monday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Observation deck operator in former John Hancock Center plans major expansion and a new ‘immersive experience'
The operator of the 360 Chicago observation deck near the top of the former John Hancock Center said the attraction is taking over two additional floors, creating the city's first multilevel observation deck, a new three-story atrium and a 14,000-square-foot private event space. It's an encouraging sign for the Magnificent Mile, a retail district that has a lot of empty storefronts. Magnicity, the French company that owns 360 Chicago, last year bought the 95th and 96th floors, directly above the 94th-floor observation deck, after the abrupt closure of the legendary Signature Room restaurant and the Signature Lounge, both top tourist spots for decades. 'We are now positioned to bring much-needed investment into these iconic spaces, delivering an experience that truly reflects the historic and architectural significance of this incredible building,' said Nichole Benolken, managing director at 360 Chicago. Although 360 Chicago didn't provide many details about what visitors will experience in the expanded observation deck, it did drop a few hints. WB-Immersive, a global firm that helped design the opening ceremonies for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2024 Paralympics, will create an immersive experience for visitors in the renovated spaces, which will also include new exhibits and attractions. 'I can't say too much because we are still in the conceptual design phase,' said Pierre-Antoine Batail, WB-Immersive's head of creative strategy. It's certain that the space will no longer host a restaurant, Benolken said. Immersive retail experiences, such as the new interactive exhibit dedicated to Harry Potter at 676 N. Michigan Ave., have become popular in downtown Chicago, and for many spaces now make more financial sense than restaurants. 'Our decision making was data- and research-driven,' she said. 'The dining scene in Chicago has evolved dramatically in the past 30 years.' The Signature Room closed in September 2023. Its shutdown was a blow to the Magnificent Mile, where the retail vacancy rate soared as a result of online shopping trends and the pandemic. A message posted to the restaurant's social media pages cited COVID-19 and subsequent 'severe economic hardship.' Magnicity invested about $17 million into the former John Hancock Center, the skyscraper now known as 875 North Michigan Avenue, after buying the 94th floor more than 10 years ago. It added attractions such as Tilt, a moving glass ledge that for two minutes dangles guests more than 1,000 feet above the street, and CloudBar, the highest bar in Chicago. Nearly 1 million people visit the observation deck each year, a roughly 60% boost from when Magnicity took over, Benolken said. The company operates similar attractions atop buildings in Berlin, Paris and Rotterdam, Netherlands. The three-floor reconstruction will take 18 to 24 months to complete, and is the most significant interior renovation in the building's 56-year history, said Scott Duncan, design partner at SOM, the architectural firm that designed the 100-story John Hancock Center and leads the current project. SOM plans to connect all three floors with a grand staircase, replace all the windows on the 94th, 95th and 96th floors, providing visitors with much clearer views, and transform the 96th floor into a private event space, he said. That will also raise the profile of 875 North Michigan Avenue, hopefully attracting the many office users seeking spaces in the city's top trophy buildings. 'People are now looking for something out of the ordinary when it comes to office space,' Duncan said. 'And the real pyrotechnics will come when the (observation deck's) new exhibits are revealed.'
