NASHVILLE - Tennessee liquor store owners strongly oppose a bill that would allow local referendums to determine whether wine could be sold alongside beer in grocery and convenience stores, the Associated Press reports.

The proposal is gaining momentum as Tennessee€™s Legislature convenes next week. A new twist to the wine expansion push is that liquor stores could sell beer, mixers, ice and snacks. It would also allow liquor store owners to operate more than one store in the state.

State Rep. Jon Lundberg, a main sponsor of the bill, expressed optimism for its support. "You have a group of people who've been elected who want to remove shackles from competition and let the marketplace decide," he said. "This is one of those prime examples of letting businesses compete like every other business."

Chip Christianson, former president of the Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association, said few liquor store owners have an interest in owning multiple stores and that their livelihoods would be at risk if wine were to be available at supermarkets.

"Those bread-and-butter wines pay my rent and my electric bill," he said. "If I it don't have those to sell, I cannot carry these esoteric brands that don't turn over very often."

Christianson also expressed concerns about convenience stores being able to sell wine. "The grocers want to have this picture of the soccer mom walking through the Kroger aisle, casually picking up a bottle of chardonnay for dinner," he said. "But there's also that group of teenagers in there trying to finagle a bottle Mad Dog 20/20 from the Mapco. And that's a problem."

Dan Haskell, a lobbyist for the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Stores Association, said there is greater concern among opponents this year.

"I think they're nervous this year, because this year I think we can get to the floor," he said. "In the past, the committees and subcommittees were so unfriendly. The support of the speakers is critical as it relates to who's on those committees."