LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles City Council directed city departments Wednesday to report on the feasibility of establishing so-called "entertainment zones" in the downtown area.
The council voted 12-0 to approve a motion introduced by Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who is advocating for the creation of entertainment zones to boost nightlife and commerce.
Jurado aims to utilize Senate Bill 969, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, also known as the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act. It was signed into law in 2024 and expanded local authority for cities to create zones where, under specific conditions, people may purchase alcohol from licensed businesses such as bars and restaurants and consume it within streets, sidewalks or public spaces in designated areas.
The law also set requirements related to local oversight, public safety and periodic two-year review.
LA city staff are expected to analyze the state law and evaluate potential implementation requirements and safeguards.
"Downtown Los Angeles is one of the strongest economic and cultural engines of our city, but our local businesses, hospitality workers, restaurants, bars and cultural corridors are still recovering from years of disruption," Jurado, whose 14th Council District includes downtown and northeast LA neighborhoods, said in a previous statement.
"This motion asks whether Los Angeles can design entertainment zones in a way that is safe, structured, locally controlled and responsive to community concerns," Jurado added.
San Francisco has multiple entertainment zones such as the Castro Entertainment Zone and Cole Valley Entertainment Zone.
Santa Monica also passed an ordinance in June 2025 that created an entertainment zone for the Third Street Promenade. The pilot program allows patrons to carry alcoholic drinks bought from approved restaurants within a three-block stretch between Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway, but only on Fridays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with extended hours for special events.
Jurado emphasized that she also wants to ensure that a potential entertainment zone in downtown does not create a "free-for-all."
"It is about exploring whether managed public space activation can support economic recovery while maintaining strong safeguards for residents, workers, visitors and neighborhoods," Jurado said in her statement.
City departments are expected to evaluate zoning requirements, potential impacts to nearby residents and quality of life, noise and neighborhood impacts, transportation and mobility considerations, sanitation and operational planning, public safety and law enforcement, as well as liability risks.
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