Liquor to flow at Raymond James Stadium

TAMPA -- Football fans will soon be able to choose a cocktail instead of just beer or wine while watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from their seats at Raymond James Stadium.

The Tampa City Council today gave preliminary approval to the sale of hard liquor throughout the facility, which holds more than 65,000 people. Liquor sales are allowed now only in the stadium's club seats and suites, which hold about 15,000 people.

“This will allow all the fans in the facility to purchase liquor," said Mickey Farrell, director of operations for the Tampa Sports Authority, which manages the stadium.

Final approval is expected in two weeks, and the change is expected to be in place for regular season games this year. The first regular season home game is Sept. 16 against New Orleans.

-- Janet Zink, Times staff writer

Comments

[very concerned]

What a HUGE mistake! I sure hope there is cops at all of the outlets and they give a breathalizer test to all behind the wheel.

[really really concerned]

An uber huge mistake. I sure won't be on the highways anytime before or after a game from now on. The greed that prompts the sale of liquor is appalling. A beer is over $7 so I can't imagine how much they'll rake in with the hard stuff. Tampa and the Glazers should be ashamed of themselves.

[Jeff]

This is not a good idea at all. Enough said.

[jeff]

Are they going to be adding a courtroom, judge and jail ala philly?

[Kathryn]

It won't make that big a difference. Beer and wine are already sold so there are drunks leaving the games now. Ask any bartender, (I was one for 15+ years) and they'll tell you that a drunk is a drunk, beer or liquor makes no difference. Just the tab total. Better tips with liquor, usually.

[CC]

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!!!! I DO NOT HAVE TO ASK A BARTENDER... A DRUNK IS A DRUNK IF THEY ARE ALL DRINKING THE SAME THING... THREE BEERS IS NO WHERE NEAR THE SAME AS THREE HARD LIQUOR DRINKS... THIS IS NUTS... I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT...

[Baylink]

3 beers is, in fact, usually around the same amount of ethanol as 3 cocktails, unless they're Long * Iced Teas.

But I'm sure that what they will continue to get wrong is that beer or cocktail, they won't bother to stock lids at the concession stands, guaranteeing that people will get the drinks *spilled* on them.

You think getting DUI'd is bad? Try getting stopped by a cop for a busted taillight *with someone else's spilled beer all over you*.

[Katey]

I am a bartender, and I have also been known to enjoy a cocktail or two. I know that there is a different type of drunk; someone who has 2 or 3 beers might not act the same if they have 2 or 3 whiskeys. This is a very bad idea.

[Dave]

It's not hard to sneak a flask or some minibottles in anyway.

[J]

I agree with most this is a bad idea. Even if 3 cocktails will affect someone the same as 3 beers, they didn't need to offer people who get out of control more choices. I definitely won't be taking my kid to any football games.

[Jason]

GOOD JOB GLAZERS!! WAY TO GO, $$$ BEFORE CHARACTER (WHICH ALL OF YOU DON'T HAVE) I am a STEELERS fan, and I would really doubt that they have any liquor going on during games other than beer, but I don't know and I will do my homework on it, but one reason I LOVE my Steelers is that they come from a CLASS ACT FAMILY (THE ROONEY FAMILY),,
Meaning of CLASS: (Don't worry looking that up in Webster's dictionary Malcolm, Bryan, and Joel. It is something you all don't have!) We all remember you and Nike (ala, Mike Vick) have the same standards w/ life, Money before God, family and anything else that has breath!

[PT]

this has to be the most stupidest idea ever coming from 1 buc place. i see nothing but more road rage after the games if not a slew of other unactractive habits that come from drinking too much. But we all know we're not as drunk as people think we are. Us sober people are just a bunch of party poopers.

[Fish Poison]

What a bunch of sorry panzies!!!!!! The Glaziers have brought more to this city than any of you sorry a.. yankees that's for sure!! By the way Jason, Steelers and Class are two words that should never be spoken in the same sentence. Jesus the difference in this town is a shame, everyone wants to stick their big nose (LIKE THE ROONEY FAMILY) in everyone elses business. Shut up mind your own business and for GOD'S sake move back home if everything is so great up there because we're tired of hearing your crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fish Poison]

Why is it that all people are held responsible for a few that commit a crime. If I want to have a drink at the stadium and then 4 hours later drive home I haven't done anything wrong, but because someone might drink too much and then drive you think they shouldn't sell beer or liqour to anyone. Well I think they shouldn't sell cars to yankee's and road rage would go away. Come on people get a life and do something productive.

[KK]

Why is this such a bad idea? If you want to drink and are of legal drinking age, you should be able to purchase a drink. For God's sake, stop trying to legislate everything in this country.

[Fish Poison]

AMEN KK I'm glad there is finally someone on here with some brains and a life.

[steve]

Json you are an idiot. Ihave been to 3 steeler games with one being here and steeler fans are the biggest wanna be tough guys on the planet. Mostly when the drink some liquid courage. Go back up north Jason and yes there is a reason its called Pittsburgh

[Jon]

About time. The whole liquor license process is a racket to begin with. I say let the people decide, if you don't want liquor don't drink it. Just like how I stay away from the cheap domestic beer sold at games.

[Dave]

The anti-alcohol ninnies in this country have been squawking too loud and too long anyway.

If you don't want to drink, fine. But you don't have any right to tell me, as an adult, that I can't drink. It's against the law to drive intoxicated, but it's not against the law to have a cocktail from time to time.

Ya'll would have never survived the 1970s, when three-martini lunches were common and many executives had mini-bars in their offices.

[katarina]

Bad idea extremely bad, where is the same city government that sends their officers out daily to stop Drunken drivers??? How can you put the temptation of the everyday Joe out enjoying a football game, and then put them behind the wheels of a car ???
I know they have the option to say NO, or have a designated driver, but in all actuallity, it only takes one of them to come out of there, hit a family, or one of our sons, husbands, wives, mothers etc you get the drift. Will the Glaziers lawyer up and not be held accountable for a drunk driver killing people after leaving somewhere that is serving full liquor or even just beer and wine,like an individual would be held accountable or a restaurant, or a bar ? If you dont want drunk drivers, and horrid accidents, dont make it so accessable to the fans.

[KK]

Katarina,
Why would the Glazers be responsible for the actions of individuals who are of legal drinking age and make pathetic choices? Liking drinking and driving while intoxicated. Have a designated driver, take a cab, don't get drunk. It's about making the correct choices and not being limited in those choices by government. It's called Freedom!

[Steve]

UMmm Errr beertender, Give me another barrr

[Jon]

DUI has almost become a religion with MADD pushing for jihad. What a shame. There are many more important issues in the world folks.

[Concerned]

Wow! A little harsh on Katarina!
Why can't y'all just make a post on the subject? The name calling is unnecessary.
And it always gets me when people from Florida start throwing around the word "yankees."
The yankees, as you so often like to bash, have brought a lot of money to the state of Florida.

As for my opinion on the liquor, I think it's awful.
They're just adding fuel to the fire, people around here love their drink. Enough already! There are way too many alcohol related accidents and deaths in this area. This place is over populated with drunks. And thats a fact.

[David]

Will someone tell me where you find wine at a game? My wife always wants a cup of wine, and I've never been able to find it. We're not in a premium level.

[e]

If you think MADD and anti drunk drivers types are over reacting, why don't you ask the families of all the people who were killed or put permanently in nursing homes by drunk drivers? Like the man pictured with the governor elsewhere on the StPetetimes website?

[Jack]

Only in Tampa Fl. It doesn't surprise me at all of the igornance our government has in this area of the country. Now we are showing the rest of the world just how stupid local government is!

[T-Bone]

This is just crazy!! I can't believe the organization would allow this. It is bad enough the stadium serves food making the fans fat. Not to mention they give out oxygen allowing them to breath, for FREE!!! I can't beleive all these people driving home full and breathing. A football game should be devoid of all fun and entertainment. You should only be able to get there just when it starts, watch the game with no emotion or passion, and leave the second it ends. Now the whole stadium is like a time bomb waiting to go off. Shame on you for trying oto inject a little fun into things.

[Angie]

Last time I was in that state (long time ago) it was still legal to dump your cocktail into a plastic cup and take it with you (don't know if it still is). With that mentality it is no wonder they have enabled those who can't put one down to continue to cause mayhem on the highways. Out of the thousands at a football game, a certain percentage are going to over-imbibe, just as they do with beer. That is an additional percentage that I, personally, could do without! Thanks for the warning to not be around Tampa during football season...

[scared]

i can't believe this. the stadium is bad enough already. i say breathalizers in the parking lot. its unfortunate that this has to be such an issue, but too many people are not responsible drinkers.

[Tina]

I'm sure that's just what the people sitting in front of a drunk want. Beer or liquor down their back. The ones that agree this is ok have no clue what it feels like to have a loved one taken from you by a drunk driver. Most of Florida population are either drunks or drug addicts. Get rid of them and this would be the sunshine state!

[Jon]

e: Any time someone not-involved is hurt or killed by a drunk driver, it's a tragedy. But tragedy's unfortunately happen and that doesn't mean we need to trample all over the constitution to prevent them. I don't think anyone "supports" drunk driving, but I'd rather a few people driving around buzzed than check points and hauling off a senior citizen because they had a glass of wine with dinner and can't perfectly ace the imposing road site tests.

The DUI laws that MADD has pushed into effect are draconian and entirely unconstitutional. MADD has changed from being victim advocacy to being moralizers who want prohibition back.

Check out http://www.getmadd.com/ for more on how MADD is a unethical organization pushing its agenda.

[captain]

its about time i can get a captain and coke at a game

[Rev. R. E. Mott]

I think all this will do is let a lot of people get into fights.

[Social Responsibility Rocks!]

All right folks, let's get something straight here...one beer = one cocktail = one glass of wine in alcohol content. A cocktail is not stronger than a beer contrary to popular belief. Do the math. Drinking in moderation, no matter what your libation of choice, is what matters! Taking responsibility for abuse is in the hands of the consumer not the stadium.

[Me]

Honestly - What is the difference between beer and wine and adding liquor. People are already drinking there anyway.

[Chat]

theme site lince looks nice

[Jennie]

Ummm wow we have a lot of haters of the liquor on here. I think that it should be allowed I would love to be able to sip and ice cold mojito over a beer or some wine. I think that educated people on how much money, time, and pure sadness~comming from the horrible events that come about when a DUI occurs. I got one and five thoudsand dollars later I will never drink and drive but if I am going to have to spend at least eight bucks on a drink I would rather get something I truly enjoy. The funny thing to me is half the people that are talking negatively about liquor drinkers probably think its ok to drink a couple beers or have a couple glasses of wine then drive. People it's not the type of alcohol that matters its about the maturity and intellengence of the person who is drinking it.