UPDATE (July 23, 2019): Sunday distillery sales were approved on July 23 by a 5-3 vote of the Christian Fiscal Court, with Magistrates Mark Cansler, Rich Liebe and Terry Boman opposing.)
Christian Fiscal Court passed the first reading of an ordinance on Tuesday that would allow alcohol to be sold by the drink at distilleries on Sundays.
Magistrate Darrell Gustafson says the vote passed 5-3 and the second reading is on July 9. Gustafson said the ordinance came about as a result of distilleries wanting an equal basis with other alcohol distributors in the county and state. He said that a distillery in Clarksville is able to sell on Sunday, while the ones in Christian County are not.
“Ninety-five percent of the business is from non-county residents,” Gustafson said. “Sunday is a big day for tourism, for people visiting the distillery, so it gives them the equal opportunity to make some additional money and some additional tax revenue for the state.”
If the measure passes at the court’s next meeting, it would amend an ordinance fiscal court adopted in March 2017 that allowed Christian County’s two distilleries — MB Roland and Casey Jones — to sell packaged spirits from their gift shops on Sundays but not liquor by the drink.
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Gustafson said the ordinance is about tourism and not about selling alcohol. If it passes, alcohol would be allowed to be sold at the local distilleries from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
