Port Clinton Mayor Mike Snider, a crew from the Port Clinton Chamber of Commerce and a few Madison Street shop owners made a tour of the downtown MORA District last week to put up signs designating the new Main Street Port Clinton Outdoor Refreshment Area. (Photo by D’Arcy Egan)

BY D’ARCY EGAN

It’s official!

The Main Street Port Clinton Outdoor Refreshment Area, or MORA District, is now open for business. People are now allowed to carry cups of alcoholic beverages around a specially designated area (see map) of downtown Port Clinton.

The MORA District includes the downtown area from Monroe Street to Adams Street, north to the Portage River, and west on State Route 163. The MORA open-carry cups will be allowed from noon to midnight, but must stay within the MORA boundary.

“The MORA District will certainly give a big boost to downtown Port Clinton,” said Mayor Mike Snider, “While the restaurants and bars will prosper, so will the retail shops all around town.”

An alcoholic drink, whether it’s a beer, wine or cocktail, is now legal while strolling around downtown as long as the drink is in a MORA cup. While a MORA cup from one drinking establishment is not allowed to be carried into another drinking establishment in the special zone, it can be carried into a retail shop.

“That’s a big deal,” said Snider. “If a couple wants to casually shop on Madison Street on a Friday night, they can bring along their drink as they stroll into those stores.”

The MORA ordinance will also benefit the many downtown celebrations, said Nikki Adams of the Port Clinton Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Port Clinton.

“MORA will be a big hit for the Walleye Drop on New Year’s Eve, the Walleye Festival in Waterworks Park and our many art shows, car shows and music concerts,” said Adams. “When we checked out the DORA Area in Toledo, we could see how successful it was for their events, shows and concerts. We patterned our MORA District in Port Clinton after the Toledo success, and believe it will really enhance the Port Clinton experience.”

The establishments serving alcoholic beverages in downtown Port Clinton that are in the MORA District include: Slater’s Madison Street Pub, Rosie’s Bar & Grill, Clinton House, Coastal Marine II, Mr. Ed’s Bar & Grill, Mendozas, Eagles Aerie 2295, Jet Express, McCarthy’s, The Bait House, Our Guest Inn & Suites, Docks Beach House and VFW Post 2480.