COAST 2026, Santa Monica’s grand finale for the World Cup, will have access to an expanded zone for public drinking this month after a recent vote by the Downtown Santa Monica Inc. Board to fully activate the city’s Entertainment Zone (EZ).
The event encompasses a celebratory festival across much of the city, and last week the board of Downtown Santa Monica Inc. (DTSM) voted to join the party by sponsoring an expanded EZ.
For the past year, the downtown EZ has allowed patrons to carry open alcohol purchased from approved restaurants while walking on the Third Street Promenade. Per state law, drinks can only be consumed in plastic or paper containers by patrons 21 or older, wearing wristbands issued by the restaurants, and beverages cannot be taken into other businesses.
Although sales and foot traffic data was presented at the DTSM board meeting, there was no data specifically regarding the EZ. Nor was much data shared about the impact of the World Cup. Hotel occupancy rates suggest it hasn’t been the economic home run that Santa Monica (and many other cities) were hoping for, yet it’s still succeeding in bringing tourists and locals downtown for watch parties and other events. According to DTSM, almost 9,000 people showed up on the Promenade on the opening day of the FIFA pop-up store, which is less than the roughly 21,000 present for the first day of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria, but still a higher number than usual
The city is going all out for the final game of the quadrennial soccer tournament on July 19th, creating many pedestrian-only streets and promising art installations, live music and interactive zones, plus food trucks, beer gardens, and, of course, large viewing screens. The EZ is a natural fit with the city’s plans.
The question for the DTSM board was less about activating the zone for the event than whether or not to expand it. Expansion was a topic of significant debate at the January board meeting due to concerns about costs and liability, and some directors remained unconvinced of the retail sales benefit of flowing alcohol. A divided board requested that the City Council grant maximal parameters for the EZ, including everything from Ocean Avenue to Fourth Street and from Wilshire to Colorado. However, the request was based on the condition that the board would have final say on when to implement the EZ and on its size.
Up until now, the EZ has only been activated on the Promenade, as it was for Oktoberfest and Pride. But DTSM CEO, Debbie Lee, presented two more options for the board to consider regarding the 19th: A) adding Ocean Avenue to Third Street with $11,000 in estimated costs for signage, security and sanitation services, or B) including the entire area defined in the Council’s ordinance at more than double the cost, though she noted that the police department hadn’t yet signed off on the plan’s safety.
“I don’t have a recommendation or a thought,” said board member Gleam Davis, who has championed the EZ from its inception, “but if the right answer is the $28,000 one, I wouldn’t let it get in the way.”
The amount pales next to the hundreds of thousands the city is investing in the event, yet it would seem to be more than DTSM has available.
“My understanding is our budget is pretty tight,” said board member Richard Bloom. Lee reminded him that July starts a new fiscal year, which offers a workaround.
Bloom also asked about liability costs, since the EZ program requires participants to indemnify the city but not DTSM. Interested businesses would be required to indemnify both, and they may also be asked to pay a fee to cover the cost of the expansion.
Also under consideration is providing eligible Fourth Street businesses with pop-up locations on the Promenade, possibly also for a fee, thereby eliminating the need to extend the zone east to Fourth.
Given that this will be a first test of the organizational and promotional logistics necessary for a successfully expanded zone, including the challenge of securing parking structures in an open-carry area, it's not clear why DTSM waited so long to address the issue and get the ball rolling. The board vote on June 25 was unanimous, though five of the 12 directors were absent, including directors who had previously voted against expanding the EZ.