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MSP Airport seeks to expand hours travelers can get a drink

Bars and restaurants inside MSP Airport can serve alcohol between 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. The Metropolitan Airports Commission is seeking control of setting those hours.

MINNEAPOLIS — There's a push to make it possible for more travelers to enjoy an early morning drink at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. 

Currently, state law allows bars and restaurants inside MSP Airport's terminals to serve alcohol between 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. The Metropolitan Airports Commission wants to change that law this legislative session and put MAC in charge of setting drinking hours. According to MAC Spokesperson Patrick Hogan, the MAC board has not decided on those hours but he expects the start time would change to 4 a.m. 

"We usually open at about 5 a.m. and they're here at 5:01 asking for a Schell's Light immediately or a screwdriver. They usually are disappointed that they can't drink," said Katie Cummings, a bartender at Stone Arch Craft Beer and Food in Terminal One. 

Aero Service Group operates Stone Arch Craft Beer and Food, as well as Lake Wine Kitchen + Bar in Terminal One. The groups also operates Cocina del Barrio in Terminal Two. 

Dave Koecheler, airport operations manager for Aero Service Group, said they could be serving customers for up to an hour and a half longer with Stone Arch open at 5 a.m. and Barrio open at 4:30 a.m.

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"We'll have many people—anywhere from 10 on up to 100 people—that could be standing, waiting for 6:01 to happen to be able to place their order for liquor," Koecheler said. "Travel is so stressful. It gives them the opportunity to just kind of sit back and relax." 

According to Hogan, about 10% of MSP flights board before 6 a.m. That's about 5,000 people departing from the airport. 

Hogan added that it's not unique for airports to start serving alcohol at 4 a.m. or some 24 hours a day. 

"It's kind of a time-traveling thing in the airport, I call it. They just come in, they don't know what time it is," Cummings said. 

Hogan said he's not sure how many businesses would be impacted but said it could encourage some restaurants to open earlier. 

Koecheler estimates opening an hour earlier would add thousands of dollars in revenue every day.

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"With the amount of revenue that we get from six o'clock until let's say 8 o'clock, it could be in the neighborhood of $2,000 to $3,500 dollars," Koecheler said. 

Dan Slefinger of Lakeville travels roughly 40 weeks out of the year. 

"It makes sense. There's a lot of people in the airports going to vacation. They're heading off to somewhere south... Caribbean, Mexico and that's kind of part of their vacation is they want to get started," Slefinger said. 

MAC is in the process of talking to lawmakers. Legislation related to this was introduced last year but was part of an omnibus bill that did not move forward. 

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