Item B: Exceptions for Tailgating Around Autzen Stadium

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Exceptions for Tailgating Around Autzen Stadium Meeting Date: February 26, 2007 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Eugene Police Staff Contact: Captain Pete Kerns www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5252 ISSUE STATEMENT This is a work session to discuss the increase in unlawful consumption of alcohol in pay-for-use parking areas around Autzen Stadium on home football game days, in violation of the Eugene City Code’s prohibition of alcohol consumption in such circumstances. BACKGROUND The City Council has requested this work session with the Eugene Police Department (EPD) to discuss the options available to address the unlawful consumption of alcohol in pay-for-use parking areas near Autzen Stadium on home football game days. In 1974, the City Council adopted Eugene Code 4.190, making it illegal to consume alcoholic beverages in unlicensed public places. Ordinance 19092 amended the Eugene Code in 1983, to permit drinking in the Autzen Stadium parking lot for four hours before and two hours after a scheduled collegiate football game. In recent years, with the expansion of the stadium and other changes to the parking area, pay-for-use- parking on private lots neighboring the stadium have increased and a corresponding growth in public drinking has occurred. A culture of tailgating that includes unlawful public drinking exists in the stadium neighborhood on home game days. The Police Department is able to assign only enough officers to the games to provide traffic control and a minimum of area patrol and stadium security. There are insufficient resources to address public drinking in areas surrounding the stadium, except for reported incidents, which have been increasing in recent years. Several of the area property owners are not-for-profit organizations that rent spaces for parking on game days to raise revenue for their organizations. These non-profit organizations have expressed concern that any changes to the current practices would result in a loss of revenue. In other cases, business and private parties benefit from pay-for-use parking arrangements. Police are occasionally dispatched to disputes and fights in the pay-for-use parking lots that are often alcohol-related. Over the years there have been a few significant incidents in and around the stadium involving alcohol, including a number of violent, alcohol-related incidents in 2005 that raised the public’s awareness and interest in addressing the issues associated with this behavior. In recognition of this increasing trend, during the 2006 football season changes were made in police tactics and the UO implemented its “Code of Conduckt” campaign. L:\CMO\2007 Council Agendas\M070226\S070226B.doc