SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As the Sacramento Kings are headed into a historic weekend and fans are expected to flock to downtown bars and restaurants, city officials and owners got together to workshop how to keep the nightlife safe.
Pubs, Clubs and Bars is a quarterly training conducted by Sacramento Code Compliance, Sacramento police and Sacramento fire staff in tandem with business owners in the area.
“Safety is a big concern,” said Bob Simpson, owner of Republic Bar and Grill, and malted mash Irish Pub. “We want people to come out, feel safe and have a good time.”
A large part of that is training for staff and showing them what it takes to keep guests safe — including responsibly serving alcohol, first aid and even active shooter training.
“Hospitality is making people have fun. You also have the balance between responsible hospitality and just throwing a real good party,” said Simpson.
That responsibility is, in part, managed by Sacramento’s “nighttime economy manager” Tina Lee-Vogt who works with businesses to improve conditions downtown.
“Lighting is really important. First of all, it's just for safety. People want to go where they feel safe, and they feel safe where it's well lit,” said Lee-Vogt.
Safety is a growing concern with the increased number of people coming to Sacramento.
Recent data from the downtown Sacramento Partnership show leisure spending is at 209%, a nearly 110% increase from 2019.
More than 16 million people visited downtown Sacramento in 2022, an increase of 30% since 2021. With more than 18,000 people jam packed in the Golden 1 Center, safety is a priority for officials.
“I'm always really proud of how our businesses actively participate and engage with us and are part of the process to make sure that we keep our nightlife safe,” said Lee-Vogt.
Pubs, Clubs and Bars’ next meeting is being held July 20 at 300 Richards Blvd. in Room 221 from 3- 5 p.m.
