Kansas City, Mo. ? A plan to reduce Saturday night crowds of loitering teenagers in Westport has drawn thousands of older, paying customers to the busy entertainment district without many problems, police and merchants say.

The district has battled problems with throngs of underage people congregating on the sidewalks, which had deterred some paying customers from going to Westport.

Now, a $1 cover charge is required to enter the neighborhood after 10 p.m. on Saturdays. Only those 21 or older are allowed in because vendors sell beer on the sidewalks.

The concept started July 12 and attracted about 3,000 people. The last weekend in July, there were 5,000 paid admissions, said Tom Brenneis, president of the Westport Merchants Assn.

“This was a marketing event and the numbers prove it’s actually working,” Brenneis said. “Across the board, everybody is seeing a profit.”

Though some youths still gather along the sidewalks if they get in before 10 p.m., there’s a definite difference in the crowds, said bar owner Kyle Kelly.

“You don’t have to elbow your way down the sidewalk like you used to,” Kelly said.

Kelly said customers enjoy being outside, and the plan had “created some excitement about Westport.”

“People are asking if we can do this on Friday nights, too,” he said. “It’s wonderful.”

Merchants are so confident that they intend to purchase permanent metal fencing for the entrance points, Brenneis said.

The plan has made a difference for police as well.

Officers used to make about eight arrests each Saturday night on Westport’s streets and large disturbances were common.

Under the new plan, police patrol the perimeter while Westport security officers and off-duty officers police the interior.

Brenneis said Westport security and off-duty officers had made two arrests in the three weeks and there have been no major disturbances.