Members of the Aiken Hospitality Group (from left) China Durden, Sam Erb, Libby Cook and Steve Hale have reason to celebrate as Aiken voters approved a referendum permitting alcohol sales on Sunday. The group had pushed hard for approval. RON COCKERILLE/STAFF

Aiken restaurant owners plan to start selling alcohol this Sunday, said Steve Hale, who worked with the group pushing the referendum.

The question passed with 67 percent of the vote. It needed more than 50 percent approval to pass.

The referendum was placed on the ballot after the Aiken Hospitality Group collected the signatures of more than 10 percent of the city's registered voters, or about 1,300 people.

The hospitality group is made up of restaurant and hotel owners who argued that Aiken was being passed over for other tourist destinations because the city didn't serve alcohol on Sundays.

They said the city also was missing out on in-town diners who enjoy a drink with dinner. With the referendum's passing, restaurants and hotels will soon be able to sell alcohol on Sundays.

Revenue from licenses for Sunday alcohol sales will go into city coffers dedicated to tourist-related projects.

Reach Josh Gelinas at (803)279-6895 or josh.gelinas@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Wednesday, November 6, 2002 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle