HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Police weren't sure what to expect when Huntsville opened its new downtown arts and entertainment districts with relaxed alcohol rules.

But Sgt. Mark Roberts said there have been no arrests, no fights, no tickets issued and little evidence of public intoxication since the districts kicked off June 20 with live music, sidewalk art displays, the open-air Greene Street Market and other activities.

"It's been great, no problems whatsoever," Roberts said Tuesday. "It seems to be event-driven rather than alcohol-driven. Being able to walk around with a drink is just a plus, not the main draw."

Huntsville police assigned up to eight officers to patrol downtown on entertainment district nights, but Roberts said their main job so far has been reminding people about the rules.

Bars and restaurants inside the Quigley and Meridian districts are allowed to serve drinks in plastic to-go cups from 5-10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays only. People are not supposed to bring alcohol into the districts.

'Clearly, this is a positive'

Huntsville City Administrator Rex Reynolds (File photo)

City Administrator Rex Reynolds said the districts seem to be doing exactly what officials hoped: luring folks downtown to eat, drink, spend money and enjoy the sights.

Reynolds said he had to wait for a table at Papou's on the Courthouse Square last Thursday night. Other downtown restaurants were also slammed.

"Clearly, this is a positive," Reynolds said Tuesday. "The districts are going to be here to stay. We've just got to match the (police and trash pickup) services to meet the demands."

The City Council set up the districts with limited hours for the first 90 days. Reynolds, a former Huntsville police chief and public safety director, said the mayor's office may recommend keeping the districts open a bit later at the end of the trial period.

Prominent civic groups including the Committee of 100, Arts Council, Huntsville Young Professionals, Downtown Huntsville Inc. and the Dowtown 47 continue to lobby the city to open the districts from noon to midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

"Clearly, we heard that message," said Reynolds. "But when you're down there, you also hear people saying (the current setup) seems just about right."

More people, more trash

With more people downtown, trash has been an issue. Landscape Management Director Joy McKee said Operation Green Team is bringing in 40 rolling bins on entertainment district nights to supplement the 200-plus permanent trash cans in the downtown area.

McKee said the biggest problems so far have been broken glass, cigarette butts and people leaving cups in parking lots. That's in addition to about 200 bags of trash being generated on entertainment district nights.

"It's a lot of volume," McKee said Tuesday. "But that's good, because it means sales and tax dollars and happening."