Bruininks: Stadium alcohol proposal 'bad legislation'

Gopher fans
Fans cheer on the Golden Gophers at TCF Stadium on Saturday, September 12, 2009.
MPR Photo / Tim Post

The president of the University of Minnesota doesn't like a Minnesota House proposal allowing the U to serve beer in its TCF Bank football stadium only if alcohol is available in one-third of general seats.

Last year, the Legislature passed a law forcing the U to serve alcohol throughout the TCF football stadium, or not at all. U of M officials only want to serve alcohol in premium seats and suites at the stadium.

President Robert Bruininks said he won't ask the Board of Regents to consider any proposal that forces the U to serve beer in general seating, where thousands of underage student fans sit.

"I think it's a very bad proposal and I think it's bad legislation, so I'm quite confident the university would not support it," Bruininks said.

Currently no Big 10 stadiums in the country serve alcohol in general seating areas.

The House's proposal still needs to make its way through a conference committee and the Senate.

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