Alcohol may come to Pyramid

Academic Senate approves 12 conditions allowing alcohol sales

The Academic Senate approved a list of 12 conditions for the sale of alcoholic beverages in The Pyramid at its May 11 meeting.

In its second attempt to obtain a license to sell beer in The Pyramid, the Forty Niner Shops Inc. filed a new application with the Alcohol and Beverage Control Board.

Gary Adams, general manager of the Forty Niner Shops, Inc. said that even though the application was recently submitted, the actual decision process could be a long one.

"I would hope that in the fall we will be able to serve beer, but if not then, at least when we start men's basketball," Adams said.

Adams said the first application had been for a type-41 license that would have included the sale of wine and was withdrawn because one of the requirements for that license requires a kitchen facility large enough for catering.

The subsequent application filed is for a type-40 license, which would provide for the sale of beer only.

Regarding how the money taken in from alcohol sales would benefit CSULB students Adams said, "Everything we do benefits students. We don't break the money down, but at least 20 percent of all revenue would go back into The Pyramid."

Adams said that even if the application is approved by the board that at any time the license could be revoked.

This suggests that it will be the students responsibility to prove themselves capable of maturity if the license is obtained.

While some might eagerly await the decision that would allow them to purchase beer at Pyramid events, others, such as CSULB physics and astronomy Professor Bruce Scott are not as supportive.

Scott said it would be nice if CSULB could take a leadership role and provide a non-alcohol, non-smoke environment.

"I don't think the sale of alcohol in The Pyramid would be a good idea to start up," he said.

Scott said in a recent letter to the Daily Forty-Niner that he is strongly opposed to the selling of alcohol and he suggested that the academic community will also voice its displeasure.

The reasons Scott gave for opposing the sale of beer at The Pyramid were; unpleasant and embarrassing behavior of many when inebriated, the well-documented increasing alcohol problems of college-age youths, the inability of many to control their drinking, and the myriad of legal and moral problems associated with alcohol.

Scott said that other than a need for money there is no compelling reason for allowing alcoholic beverages in The Pyramid.

Scott does admit that the serving of beer on campus at The Nugget doesn't seem like it has been a problem and that CSULB students seem to be mostly mature when it comes to consuming alcohol.

At the May 11 Academic Senate meeting, Jack Munsee, physics professor and member of the Academic Senate Executive Committee, voiced concern that the consumption of alcohol might contribute to rowdiness.

He was reassured by Adams that there would be tight controls imposed along with the sale of beer in The Pyramid.

Munsee responded positively. "I felt the conditions presented were reasonable and that it would be very unlikely that people would reach a level of rowdiness," he said. "If it were not tightly controlled I wouldn't support it."

Dorothy Goldish, the former chair for the Academic Senate, said that selling beer in The Pyramid will hopefully put some controls on the consumption of alcohol because she said people do bring in bottles of alcohol concealed under their clothes. One of the conditions listed, limits customers to one beer per sale.

While Adams said that this doesn't stop a student from making separate trips in order to buy for an underage friend, he hopes that routine checks of identification will help to alleviate this potential problem.

The reality of The Pyramid serving alcohol to fans at fall games could very well happen if a recent city council decision regarding the sale of alcohol at Blair Field is taken as an omen.

According to an article published May 17 in the PressTelegram, Long Beach City Council members approved an emergency ordinance May 16 to allow the city's new minor league team to sell beer and wine. This means that the city will reverse its prohibition against liquor sales at Blair Field for Barracuda and CSULB baseball games.