Beer sales not happening at Apple Cup game
Buying a beer inside Martin Stadium during a Cougar football game remained a no-go for the majority of fans during the final home game of the season, the annual Apple Cup against the University of Washington.
Associate Director of Athletics Bill Stevens said Washington State University is still awaiting a decision by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board about extending alcohol sales to general-seating ticket holders.
“That is still in the hands of the liquor and cannabis board,” Stevens said.
But a public records inquiry showed WSU has not replied to a request for more details about how the school plans to implement the proposed policy change.
An October letter from the board addressed to WSU Vice President for Government Relations Colleen Kerr listed a number of issues to be addressed before the board takes action, including how the school will mitigate security concerns and how increasing alcohol sales will reduce minors’ access to alcohol.
The school also was asked to submit a detailed plan addressing a list of additional concerns, such as how staff members would be trained to monitor sales, how a no re-entry policy would be implemented at the stadium, and how disruptive patrons would be dealt with.
A message left for Kerr Wednesday morning was not returned.
The Tribune’s request for WSU’s reply to the letter indicated none existed.
“We will note for you that after consulting with staff within our agency, we do not expect a response from WSU in the near future and may be as far out as next summer,” wrote Tiffany Laughlin, a records analyst for the board.
In August, before the season began, WSU officials said they were optimistic a request to allow expanded liquor sales would be approved by the board, possibly as soon as for the first game, on Sept. 3.
As the season wore on, however, permission did not come, and in-stadium sales currently remain limited to club seats and suites.
Liquor and cannabis board spokesman Mikhail Carpenter said in September the proposal was being looked at as potentially precedent-setting.
“No other college stadium in Washington has expanded alcohol sales,” Carpenter said. “If the change of operating plan was granted, other colleges in the state would ask for something similar.”
Out of about a dozen comments submitted by Washington residents to the liquor and cannabis board about the proposal, all but one were opposed. The writers cited many of the same concerns addressed in the board’s letter to WSU, as well as worries about a potential increase in incidents of on-campus violence and drunk driving after games.