New Rules Placed on Tailgate Parties

In yet another attempt to cut back on drinking-related rowdiness at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, the City Council on Monday authorized the creation of a caterer’s permit that must be acquired by fans who intend to serve beer from kegs at their pre- and post-game tailgate parties.

The ordinance, which will take effect shortly before San Diego State University’s football season begins in the fall, would force tailgaters to seek a $25 caterer’s permit and provide $1 million in liability insurance, according to Steve Shushan, the stadium’s business manager.

Although the ordinance does not specifically require tailgaters to hire a caterer before tapping a keg in the stadium parking lot, “there aren’t too many people out there who will be able to afford that kind of insurance,” Shushan said.

Stadium authorities believe that the permit system will cut back on alcohol consumption by forcing tailgate party hosts to hire caterers who would dispense beer from kegs, according to a city staff report. The ordinance does not affect beer consumed from cans or bottles.

Caterers would be required to “control the distribution of the beer, which should eliminate most of the problems currently experienced from unsupervised consumption of keg beer,” according to the staff report.

The move represents a step back from a previous proposal to ban beer kegs at the stadium parking lot.

That request surfaced earlier this year when SDSU representatives noted that beer served from kegs had resulted in “alcohol abuse at Aztec football games which results in numerous problems,” according to the city staff report.

Although the keg discussion focused on problems at Aztec football games, San Diego City Atty. John Witt ruled earlier that any action taken to limit beer consumption at the stadium would have to apply to all events. Consequently, the catering permit will also be required at tailgate parties hosted before or after Padres baseball and Chargers football games.

According to figures provided by the Police Department, during 1989 only three of 150,000 Aztec football fans who attended home games in 1989 were arrested for being drunk in public in the parking lot. Fewer than 30 minors were arrested for possession of alcohol.

Of the 2 million fans who attended Padres games during 1989, 16 people were arrested in the parking lot for being drunk in public. Two were arrested for driving while intoxicated and nearly 100 minors were arrested for illegally possessing alcoholic beverages.

Of 500,000 fans who attended Charger games in 1989, 10 were arrested in the parking lot for being drunk in public, according to police figures. Eleven minors were arrested for illegal possession of alcohol.

The beer-keg prohibition is the latest in a string of efforts to reduce alcohol abuse.

The Stadium Authority and the council had previously prohibited fans from bringing alcohol into the stadium. Alcohol is no longer served after the seventh inning at Padres games, and beer sales are cut off after the beginning of the fourth quarter of Aztec and Charger games. Jumbo-sized beers are no longer served in the stadium, and the 28-ounce beer cup has been reduced to 22 ounces.