What to know: Wadsworth joins Akron, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls and others in the DORA era

It's time to tip a plastic beverage cup to Wadsworth, which joined the growing DORA community in the Greater Akron area on Friday.

A DORA, for those not paying attention, is a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, a place where the state's open container laws are relaxed. That means, simply, that during designated hours in a designated area, people can visit an establishment and bring their adult beverages with them.

Wadsworth's nascent DORA had its first test run with an downtown event Friday and it went well, said the city's economic development director, Tom Morris.

It wasn't a perfect first day, but it was a success, Morris said Monday in a phone interview. Some merchants didn't have the specially-made DORA cups, but the city was able to provide a quick solution.

"We were able to have it on Friday with the DORA stickers and it (was) very successful," he said.

Here a few things to know about the Wadsworth, and other, DORAs.

DORA locations are expanding

According to an Ohio Department of Commerce map, four municipalities in Summit County, two in Medina, three in Portage and seven in Stark County have DORAs.

In Summit County, Akron, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls and Hudson have the designated districts.

Wadsworth is the latest in the area, and the idea has been talked about for years, said Morris. Council approved the DORA in April, but had to wait a couple of months until the state signed off.

What about Wadsworth's DORA?

The city has nine establishments or organizations with liquor licenses in its designated area, with six currently participating.

The DORA is in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., meaning don't walk the area at midnight with your DORA cup in hand.

Who benefits from having a DORA?

For many people, a DORA enables them to enjoy concerts and other events with their favorite stout beer or pinot noir in hand.

For businesses with liquor licenses, it can help increase business that might be — especially during events — lured away by food trucks or other vendors. When an event isn't taking place, a customer can visit for an adult beverage and — who knows — they might stick around for a sandwich and appetizer.

Cities like DORAs because they're a tool to lure people a downtown area, which is a selling point for new merchants.

DORAs have helped other downtowns

Megan Harvey, executive director of Main Street Wadsworth, said she saw the effectiveness of a DORA when she worked for the Akron Civic Theatre.

"I saw how successful it was in Akron," she said. "... I think it definitely brought dollars back into our community."

Mayor Robin Laubaugh said the city looked at other cities with DORAs before deciding to implement its own.

"It seems it has been a nice boost to their downtown economies," she said. "This will be an extra tool for (us)."

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him ataashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.