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CAT Tracks for August 4, 2010
FIRST CALL...FOR ALCOHOL |
Does $9.3 million entitle you to buy a beer or glass of wine at SIU sporting events?
Apparently, the answer is "YES".
As for the students...
...don't hold your breath!
Remember Halloween...
The University/City shut that party down a long time ago. I don't see them inviting such behavior into their stadiums. Unless, of course, they run short of funding for their new Saluki Way...
From the WSIL TV Channel 3...
Alcohol Allowed At SIU Sports Venues
By: Jeff Stensland
CARBONDALE -- Carbondale leaders are divided on whether to sell alcohol at SIU sporting events. Despite that, it is going to happen soon.
The Carbondale Local Liquor Control Commission approved requests to sell beer and wine in parts of the SIU Arena and the new football Stadium Tuesday evening.
Not everybody gets to buy a drink. The university only wants to be able to sell beer and wine in luxury suites and club areas. However, some commissioners say it should be all or nothing.
There are still a few weeks of finishing touches to be made to Saluki Stadium. One of them includes selling beer and wine in the 12 suites and a club area at the stadium. In addition, the university wants to sell alcohol in a 2,500-square-foot club area at SIU Arena.
SIUC Athletic Director Mario Moccia says the alcohol permit is needed to meet the expectations of 150 individuals who donated $9.3 million to the new stadium and renovated arena.
"There just is an expectation in some of those areas for some of those donations," Moccia said.
Commissioner Joel Fritzler does not buy that argument. An SIU employee himself, Fritzler says many of his co-workers and neighbors want the university to offer alcohol to everyone, or nobody at all.
Fritzler points out that SIU students are paying double the amounts of fees, and Carbondale residents are paying an additional sales tax, in order to fund Saluki Way.
"It needs to be fair to all people that are contributing to these facilities, rather than more of an elite group that sometimes treats it as a private facility," Fritzler said.
"The sale of liquor--or beer and wine--on a wholesale atmosphere is kind of counter to the educational focus of SIU," Moccia said.
Fritzler was the only commissioner to vote against the liquor permits. However, Commissioner Lance Jack says he is on the fence.
"I am still not wholeheartedly behind an application for such a limited area, and cutting a lot of the general public out," Jack said.
The university will test liquor sales in the suites and club areas over the next year before considering expanding sales to everyone. Moccia says it is very rare in the NCAA to have alcohol for sale throughout a sports venue.
