Starting next year, tailgaters at Boise State and other Idaho universities will be allowed to legally drink alcohol while they munch their brats.
In the past, the Idaho Board of Education allowed drinking before football games under strict conditions in special areas and only if schools got a waiver each year. But a vote this month opens up the alcohol policy for NCAA events on campus.
“So they decided, okay, we’re going to reexamine alcohol at these venues and events overall and they asked the institutions to join together to submit a single policy that would address all three of them and their venues,” says Blake Youde, spokesman for Board of Education.
Earlier this month, board members voted for the new rules, which means Boise State, Idaho State and University of Idaho “...can designate a specific area for tailgating in a parking lot for example, that would allow authorized patrons and their guests to consume alcohol as long as they abide by all state and local regulations,” says Youde.”
Drinking will be allowed from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. during game day. Alcohol must be in an unlabeled, opaque container.
Universities will have to submit a plan next June outlining their preferred tailgate areas.
“The schools such as Boise State can submit a plan to allow tailgating in a parking lot, individuals would also be allowed to provide their own alcohol at those venues,” says Youde.
These plans would need to be renewed annually. If the board signs off on those proposals, tailgating with booze will be allowed fall of 2018.
Find Samantha Wright on Twitter @samwrightradio
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