Thursday, March 18, 2010

The University of Minnesota Finds a Way to Get Around Alcohol Ban...

Suit(e)s to get alcohol in the House That Bob Built?

(I thank a friend for calling this interesting development to my attention.)

From MPR:

Barley pop at the Bank?

Posted at 9:27 AM on March 18, 2010 by Tom Scheck

The University of Minnesota is making a move to sell alcohol in special seating at TCF Bank Stadium. DFL Sen. Jim Metzen successfully amended** a liquor bill last week that was being heard in the Senate Commerce Committee. It would allow the U of M to sell alcohol in premium seating.


**[2.3 (3) to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for events at Northrop

2.4Auditorium, the intercollegiate football stadium, or at no more than seven other locations

2.5within the boundaries of the University of Minnesota, provided that the Board of Regents

2.6has approved an application for a license for the specified location and provided that a

2.7license for an arena or stadium location is void unless it requires the sale or service of

2.8intoxicating liquor throughout the arena or stadium if intoxicating liquor is sold or served

2.9anywhere in the arena or stadium]

[It should be noted that Sen. Metzen is the brother of Former Regent David Metzen - who was the unofficial regent for athletics at the U of M. Dr. David Metzen has been mentioned on this blog before.]


The U of M sought the liquor exemption last year but was rebuffed when the Legislature required alcohol be sold in the entire stadium if the decision was made to sell alcohol in the stadium. In other words, alcohol had to be sold in the entire stadium if it was sold at all. U of M President Bob Bruininks later announced that alcohol wouldn't be sold at all at the stadium as a result of the legislation.

Metzen's amendment would allow for the U of M to sell alcohol selectively in the stadium (my understanding is it would also apply to The Barn and Mariucci Arena).

The bill also requires any proceeds from alcohol sales to be dedicated to athletic scholarships at the U of M. athletic scholarships. Metzen's amendment also calls for a study of the issue to gauge its impact by January 15, 2012.

[Great! Athletic scholarships... I guess that would make it ok?]

The bill moved to the Senate Higher Education Finance Committee.

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