MoCo needs to release its death grip on the sale of liquer and granting of liquer licenses. The county run stores are vastly inferior to private runs stores in D.C. and Virginia. It is ridiculous that supermarkets like Fresh Fields are not allowed to sell and beer and wine. It is also ridiculous that a wine cellar/restaurant like Adega cannot serve wine to its customers who sit outdoors.

I am not advocating that MoCo become a mecca for drunks; however, all one need do is visit a civilized place like New York City to realize that allowing adults to buy and drink alcohol responsibly, and enjoy drinks at outdoor cafes, enhances the social life of the community and, most importantly, treats adults like adults.

I’m in Annapolis on state business today and just spoke with one of my colleagues who is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. I was relieved that this colleague concurs that the General Assembly’s decision to fund this project was based on an argument of ongoing economic revitalization for downtown Silver Spring; not funding tied to a specific venue operator. This colleague also mentioned that because Montgomery County has already committed its county matching funds to leverage the state assistance, it would be highly unlikely for mutliple reasons for this money not to stay in our County.

Editor’s note: Thanks for the update, Del. Mizeur! Let’s hope this issue, and the necessary liquor license, don’t keep the good times from rocking Silver Spring. — JD (Oct 1, 2007)

The bigger point of interest, of course, is that taking away this taxpayer subsidy will probably kill this deal. Isn’t that a bit strange, considering the Live Nation could afford to cover the difference, what with generating 2.8b in sales. Maybe they don’t want to be here as much as we think they do. Otherwise, maybe LN should just cut this off at the pass, and pony up the dough. After all, they stand to make millions from this deal…