A new bill proposed by Metro Council could potentially ban alcohol from downtown party buses, WSMV reports.
The entertainment vehicles are one aspect that draws visitors from all over to Nashville, giving tourists a chance to see the sights and indulge in a few alcoholic beverages. After an incident in July where a tourist fell from the railing of an open-air party bus and was run over, city officials want to implement a change.
The new bill was introduced Tuesday (September 7), proposing that passengers in motorized vehicles will be banned from drinking or having an open container, something that is currently allowed by Tennessee law.
Nick Lyon, owner of party bus Hell on Wheels, said "an unfair judgment" has been cast over the industry after some customers were injured on other party tours. While he has his own business restrictions, like not playing explicit music and being off the road by 10:30 p.m., he thinks there should be more regulations industry-wide.
"This is how we put food on the table. And we provide a service... I literally feel like I'm fighting for my livelihood," said Lyon. "Do we need regulations? Absolutely. Do we need to just wipe out the whole industry in one fell swoop? No, probably not. I don't think we're there yet. Let's do step one."