PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Pennsylvania lawmakers have approved a bill to extend hours to 4 a.m. for Philadelphia bars during the FIFA World Cup.
Critics of the legislation, which passed in both chambers in Harrisburg, voiced concern about the impacts on residents.
But supporters say it will help local venues cash in and serve fans during a historic global moment.
Philadelphia is set to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors this Summer for the MLB All-Star Game, America’s 250th celebration, and the FIFA soccer matches, with a handful of those World Cup games being played late at night on the West Coast and Mexico.
“But also, not everybody coming in from all over the world is on Eastern Standard Time. So, you know, we have to adjust to them,” said Ben Fileccia from the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association. “They also go out to dinner, some of these regions don’t go out to dinner until 10 or 11 o’clock at night. So, we kind of had to adjust to our expectations to make sure that we’re managing our guests’ expectations.
Bars will have to apply for this special permit, which is only valid from June 11 to July 20.
The last time Philly got the green light for later bar hours was during the 2016 Democratic National Convention, which took place at the then-Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia.
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