A Brainerd groundskeeper crosses the No. 5 fairway with
equipment in tow. Chattanooga has offered beer for sale at its
Brainerd and Brown Acres golf courses since 1991.For more than 20 years, Chattanoogans who enjoy hitting the links at city golf courses have also been able to enjoy throwing back some suds on the premises.
However, a recent opinion by the state attorney general calls into question the legality of local governments enhancing revenue through booze sales.
The opinion says that state law prohibits a municipal corporation – read “city” – and its representatives from selling alcoholic beverages on publicly owned property or obtaining a license to do so.
State law allows only a “person, firm, corporation, partnership or association” to be granted a license to offer alcoholic beverages for sale, and “corporation” only refers to private corporations, not municipal ones, according to the opinion by Attorney General Robert Cooper.
Representatives of Montgomery County asked for the opinion after the Clarksville City Council passed an ordinance in 2012 allowing the sale of beer and liquor at city-owned parks and special events venues as a way to beef up revenue.