HB26-1330 • 2026

Alcohol Beverages Entertainment Districts

Current law allows the governing body of a local licensing authority to create an entertainment district for the purpose of the service and consumption of alcohol beverages. The bill amends the laws g

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rep. M. Soper, Rep. S. Woodrow, Sen. M. Ball, Sen. S. Bright
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: House Third Reading Lost - No Amendments
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status label says 'Passed Legislature,' but the last action listed is 'House Third Reading Lost.' This creates uncertainty about whether the final version passed or if the metadata reflects an earlier stage.

Changes to Alcohol Entertainment District Rules

This bill changes Colorado laws about entertainment districts where people can drink alcohol, requiring them to be in just one city or county area and removing the limit on how large they can be.

What This Bill Does

Requires an entertainment district to exist inside only a single municipality, city and county, or unincorporated part of a single county.
Removes the rule that limits an entertainment district to no more than 100 acres in size.
Lowers the minimum total space needed for licensed businesses from 20,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet.
Allows local licensing authorities to set specific days and hours when these districts and their businesses can operate.
States that only businesses authorized to connect to a common drinking area may sell alcohol inside that shared space.

Who It Names or Affects

Local licensing authorities in Colorado cities, counties, or municipalities
Businesses holding licenses to serve alcohol within entertainment districts

Terms To Know

Entertainment district: A specific area designated by local leaders where people can buy and drink alcohol in shared outdoor or common spaces.
Common consumption area: A shared space within an entertainment district where customers from different businesses can sit together to consume their drinks.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not take effect immediately and may be delayed if voters file a petition for a referendum.
Local authorities can still set stricter rules than this law requires, such as smaller size limits or shorter hours.
This summary applies to the version of the bill when it was first introduced.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

L.001

HOU Transportation, Housing & Local Government

Passed [*]

Plain English: This amendment requires city or county leaders to talk with local police and the sheriff before holding a meeting about creating an alcohol entertainment district.

City councils or county boards must consult law enforcement agencies before their hearing on new entertainment districts.

L.007

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: This amendment clarifies that the governing body of a local licensing authority is responsible for creating entertainment districts where alcohol can be served.

Adds specific language to state that 'the governing body' must act when creating an entertainment district.

L.008

Second Reading

Lost [**]

Plain English: This amendment would make new alcohol entertainment districts automatically end after three years unless the local government holds a public meeting to renew them.

Newly created entertainment districts for serving and drinking alcohol will expire exactly three years later.

The amendment text does not explain what happens if the district is renewed, such as how long it would last after that.
This specific proposal was voted down (lost) during its second reading in the House and did not become part of the final bill.

L.009

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: This amendment stops local officials from setting alcohol serving hours in entertainment districts that are stricter than the standard state rules.

Local governments cannot set days or times for selling alcohol in these special zones if those limits are tighter than what is already allowed by general state law.

The amendment text does not explain exactly which specific hours the referenced state law (Section 44-3-901) allows, so readers must look up that separate section to know the exact times.
This change only applies to entertainment districts created under this bill and may not affect other types of alcohol licenses.

Bill History

2026-04-02 House
House Third Reading Lost - No Amendments
2026-03-31 House
House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-03-30 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
2026-03-25 House
House Committee on Transportation, Housing & Local Government Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-03-11 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Transportation, Housing & Local Government

Official Summary Text

Current law allows the governing body of a local licensing authority to create an entertainment district for the purpose of the service and consumption of alcohol beverages. The bill amends the laws governing entertainment districts by:
Specifying that an entertainment district may exist only within a single municipality or city and county or the unincorporated portion of a single county;
Removing the requirement that an entertainment district be no larger than 100 acres;
Reducing the minimum square footage that licensed premises are required to contain from 20,000 square feet of premises to 5,000 square feet;
Allowing a local licensing authority to establish the days and hours of operation for the entertainment district and licensees within the entertainment district; and
Specifying that only licensed premises authorized to attach to a common consumption area may sell or serve alcohol beverages for consumption within the common consumption area.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0735.01 Yelana Love x2295 HOUSE BILL 26-1330
House Committees Senate Committees
Transportation, Housing & Local Government
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS OF ENTERTAINMENT101
DISTRICTS.102
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
Current law allows the governing body of a local licensing
authority to create an entertainment district for the purpose of the service
and consumption of alcohol beverages. The bill amends the laws
governing entertainment districts by:
! Specifying that an entertainment district may exist only
within a single municipality or city and county or the
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 30, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Woodrow and Soper,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Ball and Bright,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
unincorporated portion of a single county;
! Removing the requirement that an entertainment district be
no larger than 100 acres;
! Reducing the minimum square footage that licensed
premises are required to contain from 20,000 square feet of
premises to 5,000 square feet;
! Allowing a local licensing authority to establish the days
and hours of operation for the entertainment district and
licensees within the entertainment district; and
! Specifying that only licensed premises authorized to attach
to a common consumption area may sell or serve alcohol
beverages for consumption within the common
consumption area.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 44-3-103, amend2
(15)(a) and (15)(c) introductory portion; and repeal (15)(b) as follows:3
44-3-103. Definitions.4
As used in this article 3 and article 4 of this title 44, unless the5
context otherwise requires:6
(15) "Entertainment district" means an area that:7
(a) Is located within a SINGLE municipality a OR city and county8
or the unincorporated area of a SINGLE county and is designated in9
accordance with section 44-3-301 (11)(b) as an entertainment district;10
AND11
(b) Comprises no more than one hundred acres; and12
(c) Contains, at least twenty thousand square feet of premises that,13
at the time the district is created, is A COMBINED TOTAL LICENSED14
PREMISES OF AT LEAST FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET FOR TWO OR MORE15
LICENSEES THAT ARE licensed pursuant to this article 3 as:16
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 44-3-301, amend17
(11)(b) and (11)(f) as follows:18
1330-2-
44-3-301. Licensing in general - rules - tastings -1
entertainment district - promotional association - educational classes.2
(11) (b) A governing body of a local licensing authority may3
create an entertainment district by adopting an ordinance or resolution.4
An entertainment district shall not exceed one hundred acres. The5
ordinance or resolution may impose stricter limits than required by this6
subsection (11) on the size, security or hours of operation of any common7
consumption area created within the entertainment district.8
(f) (I) A local licensing authority may establish application9
procedures and a fee for certifying a promotional authority or authorizing10
attachment to a common consumption area. The authority shall establish11
the fee in an amount designed to reasonably offset the cost of12
implementing this subsection (11).13
(II) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article 3 TO THE14
CONTRARY, THE GOVERNING BODY OF a local LICENSING authority may set15
the DAYS AND hours during which a common consumption area and16
attached licensed premises IN OR ON THE PERIMETER OF A COMMON17
CONSUMPTION AREA AND AUTHORIZED TO BE ATTACHED TO A COMMON18
CONSUMPTION AREA may SELL OR serve alcohol BEVERAGES and the19
DURING WHICH THEIR customers may consume alcohol BEVERAGES EITHER20
IN THE COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA WHEN THE COMMON CONSUMPTION21
AREA IS IN OPERATION OR ON THEIR LICENSED PREMISES; EXCEPT THAT THE22
DAYS AND HOURS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (11)(f)(II)23
MUST NOT BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THE DAYS AND HOURS ALLOWED24
IN SECTION 44-3-901 (6)(b)(I).25
(III) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE26
3 TO THE CONTRARY , THE GOVERNING B ODY OF A LOCAL LICENSING27
1330-3-
AUTHORITY MAY ESTABLISH THE DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THE1
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND , WHEN IN OPERATION , THE DAYS AND2
HOURS DURING WHICH LICENSEES IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT3
ARE LISTED IN SECTION 44-3-103 (15)(c) MAY SELL OR SERVE ALCOHOL4
BEVERAGES IN THEIR LICENSED PREMISES; EXCEPT THAT THE DAYS AND5
HOURS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (11)(f)(III) MUST6
NOT BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THE DAYS AND HOURS ALLOWED IN7
SECTION 44-3-901 (6)(b)(I).8
(IV) Before certifying a promotional association, the local9
licensing authority shall consider the reasonable requirements of the10
neighborhood, the desires of the adult inhabitants as evidenced by11
petitions, remonstrances, or otherwise, and all other reasonable12
restrictions that are or may be placed upon the neighborhood by the local13
licensing authority.14
(V) PRIOR TO THE HEARING TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO APPROVE15
THE ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION THAT WOULD CREATE THE16
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, THE CITY COUNCIL OR BOARD OF COUNTY17
COMMISSIONERS SHALL CONSULT THE COUNTY SHERIFF AND ANY18
MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS JURISDICTION OVER THE AREA19
WHERE THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT IS TO BE LOCATED.20
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 44-3-910, amend21
(1)(b) and (1)(f); repeal (1)(c) and (1)(d); and add (5) and (6) as follows:22
44-3-910. Common consumption areas - rules.23
(1) A promotional association or attached licensed premises shall24
not:25
(b) Sell or provide an alcohol beverage to a customer for26
consumption within the common consumption area but not within the27
1330-4-
licensed premises in a container that is larger than sixteen ounces PERMIT1
INDIVIDUALS TO ENTER AN ATTACHED LICENSED PREMISES FROM THE2
COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA WITH AN ALCOHOL BEVERAGE PURCHASED3
FROM A DIFFERENT ATTACHED LICENSED PREMISES;4
(c) Sell or provide an alcohol beverage to a customer for5
consumption within the common consumption area but not within the6
licensed premises unless the container is disposable and contains the7
name of the vendor in at least twenty-four-point font;8
(d) Permit customers to leave the licensed premises with an9
alcohol beverage unless the beverage container complies with subsections10
(1)(b) and (1)(c) of this section;11
(f) Operate the common consumption area in an area that exceeds12
the maximum SIZE authorized by this article 3 or by the local licensing13
authority;14
(5) T HE STATE LICENSING AUTHORITY MAY ADOPT RULES TO15
PRESERVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PROPER REGULATION AND CONTROL OF16
THE SALE AND SERVICE OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGES UNDER THIS SECTION .17
THE STATE LICENSING AUTHORITY MAY, BY RULE, ESTABLISH DIFFERENT18
REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSED PREMISES WITHIN AN ENTERTAINMENT19
DISTRICT THAT ARE NOT ATTACHED TO A COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA20
AND LICENSED PREMISES WITHIN AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT ARE21
ATTACHED TO A COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA.22
(6) O NLY LICENSED PREMISES AUTHORIZED TO ATTACH TO A23
COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA BY THE LOCAL LICENSING AUTHORITY24
UNDER SECTION 44-3-301 (11)(e) AND (11)(f) MAY SELL OR SERVE25
ALCOHOL BEVERAGES FOR CONSUMPTION WITHIN THE COMMON26
CONSUMPTION AREA.27
1330-5-
SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act1
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the2
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August3
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a4
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the5
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act6
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect7
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in8
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the9
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.10
1330-6-