Council OKs beer, wine sales at San Antonio Zoo

The park hopes to begin sales in summer 2016

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Zoo is one step closer to serving beer and wine during regular business hours. The San Antonio City Council gave its blessing on Thursday. The zoo needed the waiver because it is within 300 feet of The University of the Incarnate Word, Incarnate Word High school and a Kip Academy.

"Our guests were asking for it and all of our competitors have it," said Tim Morrow the zoo’s  CEO and executive director.

Before the City Council approval the zoo could only sell alcohol at catered events. 

The zoo is not looking at this move as a money-making adventure. It is just hoping to give guests some choices. "We just want to have the options for those guests that want to do that if they choose so," Morrow said.

The beer and wine will be sold at the Beastro Restaurant  and Longnecks Bar and Grill.

Guests will be able to carry their drinks through the park. There will be measures in place, such as distinctive cups, to make sure only guest who should have an alcoholic drink will be able to consume them on zoo grounds  

"We would know it's an alcoholic beverage inside that cup so we would know it someone should have one or someone shouldn't have one," Morrow said.

The move didn’t seem to concern visitors.

"(If) you drink responsibly you should have the opportunity to just enjoy walking around the serene nature, (with) just a little bit of wine maybe a beer," said James Flowers, a zoo visitor.

The zoo hopes to start selling beer and wine sometime next summer after it gets the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s approval.


About the Author:

David Sears, a native San Antonian, has been at KSAT for more than 20 years.