Rosslyn BID accredited for serving alcohol safely + responsibly
First BID in the region to receive this designation
The Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) is proud to have recently received Arlington Restaurant Initiative (ARI) accreditation. We are the first BID in the region to become ARI accredited.
The goal of ARI is to raise the standards of restaurants that serve alcohol, streamline processes within the County Government and maintain Arlington County as a safe destination for nightlife and entertainment. Rosslyn BID leadership worked closely with Master Officer Dimitrios Mastoras on the effort.
“Before the ARI accreditation, the Rosslyn BID already had strong policies in place for event safety and responsible alcohol service,” says Officer Mastoras. “By achieving the ARI accreditation, the Rosslyn BID joins a holistic effort to ensure safety and demonstrates the type of commitment we’d like to see from all Arlington event venues and organizations.”
With the safety of the community and their patrons in mind, more and more Arlington restaurants and special event venues are seeking ARI accreditation. From 2018 to 2019, the number of ARI-accredited organizations grew from eight to 34 overall—an increase of over 300 percent.
Here in Rosslyn, all BID staff and ambassadors received in-person training from Officer Mastoras on serving alcohol at events and studied a special events handbook on how to ensure public safety. Attendees at Rosslyn events can be assured that our team takes this responsibility to them and our community seriously. Popular Rosslyn events, such as the annual Rosslyn Jazz Fest and Rosslyn Cider Fest, are hosted with strict guidelines for serving alcohol in place.