Ladies night promotions are popular at bars and restaurants allowing women to drink for free or reduced prices and in the process usually drawing more male customers as well.

In Gainesville, Wednesday night is known as "ladies night" at a number of bars across town. But, specials offering free or cheap drinks could soon be a thing of the past.

During Friday's Community Alcohol Coalition meeting, a draft letter was presented from Equal Opportunity Director Cecil Howard. In it, he states that any gender-based promotion at bars and restaurants violates the city's discrimination ordinance. The committee will soon send a final draft to business owners.

Swamp restaurant General Manager Jeff Bartholomew attended the meeting. He says the move could benefit those establishments that don't have those kinds of promotions.

"By not having that, I think it's just going to spread the business out," Bartholomew said. "They're just going to start going to other places that offer maybe a special, but not a gender-based special."

That's something, city officials say they're fine with as long as nobody's breaking the law.

Gainesville police also announced that 101 Cantina could be the first business to face punishment as part of the underage drinking ordinance. On Thursday, they were told they could no longer admit anyone under 21 between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. for 90 days. A manager at 101 Cantina says they are contesting the violation.