During the Board of Trustees meeting held Oct. 22, 2019, the board voted to allow the sale of alcohol during basketball games, specifically in Trask Coliseum. 

The Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs, Miles Lackey, presented the proposed updates of the Alcohol Policy to the board, which notably included SGA Student Body President Nicholas Pianovich and 11 other present members. Chancellor Jose Sartarelli was also present during the meeting. 

According to Lackey’s presentation, all individuals interested in purchasing alcohol at games will have to obtain a wristband from a station on either floor of Trask. There will be several different sites located on the top floor, mainly located in the Golden Hawks Room where alcohol will be sold; however, there will only be one site on the first floor where alcohol will be sold. It is located in the old space that the Courtside Bagel Shop once held, which is across from the press room. There will also be several areas to pick up wristbands upstairs, but only one area downstairs, which can be found on the maps provided in Lackey’s presentation. 

When asked by Pianovich if there would be a limit on the amount of alcoholic beverages sold to each person of legal drinking age, Lackey said, “Currently, there is not a per event limit. There is a per transaction limit, and the thought is, given the extensive training the servers will be receiving, given that every person purchasing an alcoholic beverage have to have a wristband… at this point and time we did not believe it was necessary to require that there be a per event limit.” Lackey continued, “That is subject to change if we do experience problems with intoxication, etcetera. And so that would be subject to change, to be more restrictive.” 

A trial and practice training event was held on Oct. 22 for servers, and the first game where alcohol will be sold is the Women’s basketball game against Lenoir-Rhyne on Oct. 26. For the implementation of the policy, more officials have been employed to maintain the safety of the basketball games. 

Aramark, the food service used by UNCW, obtained the temporary permits for the Fall 2019 term, including the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Temporary Permit and the City of Wilmington Privilege License, which according to the presentation is “to be made permanent by January 2020.” Aramark will split revenues with the university 50 percent to 50 percent. Beer and wine will be sold only in cans and plastic bottles, with the unit price for one beverage being eight dollars. 

More information about alcohol sales at Trask can be found at here.

Editor’s Note: The quote in this article has been edited for clarity.