Metro Councilmember Freddie O'Connell has filed a bill to regulate Lower Broadway's absurd armada of transpotainment vehicles.
Nashville's main downtown artery has long been clogged with these vehicles — party buses, tractors, a trailer with a hot tub on it, etc. — which ferry tipsy tourists and bachelorette parties to and fro among the honky-tonks. They've never looked like a great idea necessarily, but they've come under particular scrutiny this summer after a man fell from a party bus in July and was then run over by it. (He survived but was seriously injured.)
O'Connell's bill — which he says was drafted with consultation from Mayor John Cooper's office and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, among others — would bring the party vehicles under the jurisdiction of Nashville's Transportation Licensing Commission and also prohibit people from drinking alcohol on them. Pedal taverns specifically are already regulated by the commission. O'Connell says that, as drafted, the bill's prohibition on alcohol consumption would also apply to pedal taverns, where riders currently bring their own beer onboard. Councilmember Sean Parker has also introduced a bill that would ban alcohol on party vehicles, but would not include pedal taverns.
"As with too many disruptive industries, the operators of many of these vehicles have exploited our legal framework and become worse than nuisances; they’ve become safety hazards," tweets O'Connell, who represents the downtown core. "I’m confident Metro has enough legal authority to better protect our residents and quality of life."
You can read the full text of the bill here.
Update (4 p.m.): A joint statement of support from the Nashville Downtown Partnership, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce:
"The Nashville Downtown Partnership, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce are in full support of Councilman O’Connell’s proposed legislation to regulate entertainment transportation vehicles. Our city has a long-standing reputation as a fun and welcoming destination and community in which to live, work, play, and invest. That reputation is predicated on our unique and authentic music-driven brand. We see the proposed Metro legislation as a critical step to addressing significant safety, congestion, cleanliness and noise concerns in the entertainment district and surrounding neighborhoods. The causes of these challenges are complex and demand multifaceted solutions. We believe improved parameters and regulation of entertainment transportation vehicles are an important part of that solutions package. Our three organizations are encouraged to be working in partnership with Mayor Cooper’s office, the Metro Council and with state leadership for immediate impact."
And the mayor weighs in via tweet:
Now is the time to address the flagrant quality of life issues posed by aspects of the entertainment transportation industry. I will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure a successful outcome in the upcoming state legislative session. pic.twitter.com/spZesmz9Pj
— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) September 10, 2021
