Rock Island Bars Closing Time Back To 3 A.M.

If you like to stay out late at bars in Rock Island, here is some good news for you. Bars will go back to having a closing time of 3 a.m. after Rock Island's City Council vote to have the bar closing time pushed back to 2 a.m.

During a city council meeting last night in Rock Island, bar owners in Rock Island, especially bar owners from The District, claimed a victory after the city council voted 4 to 2 to move closing time for bars back to 3 a.m. According to KWQC, Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms is the one who recommended that the bar closing time be moved to 2:00 a.m. instead of 3:00 a.m. in a more permanent way.

In a response to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, in June Mayor Thoms issued an emergency declaration that made the bar closing time change to 2 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. This change was to last for 30 days. On Monday, the time came to vote whether to extend that rule for another 30 days or not. The motion to extend it failed by a vote of 4 to 2.

Mayor Thoms focused on discussing the safety and reputation of The District of Rock Island. Mayor Thoms was insinuating that The District was unsafe, but bar owners in The District came to the area's defense.

On August 3, bars in Rock Island and The District will go back to 3 a.m. The Rock Island City Council will revisit this decision again during another meeting on August 24 where they will consider another vote.