A unanimously approved revision to Western Carolina University’s tailgating policy, voted on during the WCU Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, March 6, means more on-campus ‘alcohol-permissible’ areas for the school’s 2015 football fans.
Malt beverages and unfortified wine will now be permitted in the Belk Building parking lot, previously declared an alcohol-free zone, during approved tailgating time-frames (three-and-a-half hours prior to home game kickoff through two hours into the game) starting this fall. The growing popularity and success of WCU’s football program was cited as prompting the expansion.
Alcohol-permissible areas now include the H.F. Robinson Administration Building, John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, Camp Building, Jordan-Phillips Field House, Ramsey Center, E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Hennon Baseball Stadium and Belk Building, while lots at Walker and Scott halls remain alcohol-free areas.
Here is the full release from WCU’s Office of Communications and Public Relations:
There will be more places to tailgate at Western Carolina University home football games this fall.
The WCU Board of Trustees unanimously approved a revision to the university’s tailgating policy that adds an additional parking lot to areas in which alcohol may be consumed on campus as part of fans’ pregame festivities. Approval of the change came during the board’s regularly scheduled quarterly meeting Friday, March 6.
Beginning this fall, the Belk Building parking lot, which previously had been designated as an alcohol-free zone, will be among the alcohol-permissible tailgating areas.
The move became necessary because of increased interest in pregame tailgating at WCU in the wake of recent improvements to the football program. In 2014, the WCU football team enjoyed its first winning regular season since 2005, earning a second-place finish in Southern Conference play.
With the revision to the policy, parking lots at the H.F. Robinson Administration Building, John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, Camp Building, Jordan-Phillips Field House, Ramsey Center, E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Hennon Baseball Stadium and Belk Building are considered alcohol-permissible areas during approved tailgating hours.
Lots located at Walker and Scott halls remain alcohol-free tailgating areas.
Tailgating at WCU may begin no earlier than three-and-a-half hours before kickoff of the football game. Consumption of alcohol must be discontinued at the start of the game, and tailgating without alcohol beverages may continue after the game for a period of two hours.
Only malt beverages (beers and other brewed libations) and unfortified wine are allowed in approved tailgate areas. Spirituous liquor and kegs or other common-source containers are not permitted.
Campus officials vigorously enforce laws regarding underage consumption of alcohol.
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