A Dallas booster organization wants to prevent the sale of high-alcohol content beer and wine in downtown convenience stores.
Dallas police say that more than 60 percent of downtown's public-intoxication arrests are near the area's five 7-Eleven stores.
"When you encompass a few square blocks in every direction, you're actually dealing with the majority of downtown," Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse said.
"You've got your several homeless shelters downtown, which brings the homeless community downtown and with the alcohol being a part of that lifestyle -- yeah, you do have more intoxicated individuals downtown than you would have in some other parts of the city," Janse said.
Downtown Dallas Inc. is soliciting letters from downtown residents in hopes of preventing the sale of high-alcohol content beer and wine.
"We're gathering the support letters to go to a hearing with the TABC to talk about why we think they shouldn't be stocking their shelves with that, what the result is and what crime statistics are around those areas," said John Crawford, the group's CEO.
The group is targeting all downtown convenience stores. Crawford said four have voluntarily removed the beverages.
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"The proof of the pudding is simply that we got them to do it," he said. "They were very good corporate citizens and community citizens. Crime statistics are down."
Dallas resident Alex Garcia said it is great first step.
"All of this plays into our long-term goal of making downtown clean and safe," Crawford said.
In a statement, 7-Eleven said its downtown stores stopped selling alcoholic beverages in 40-ounce cans last year at Downtown Dallas Inc.'s request. The stores are operated by independent franchisees.
"So we are somewhat surprised and certainly disappointed by DDI's actions, particularly when we worked with its members in good faith," 7-Eleven said. "Since its first request, DDI has asked us to sign a business-unfriendly agreement and even to refuse to sell alcohol to anyone who wanted to pay with change. We do not have plans to do so at this time."
