BREC moves closer to selling alcohol at its facilities

The commission that oversees East Baton Rouge Parish parks approved a policy Thursday that will govern the sale of alcohol at its facilities.

But before the beer and wine flow, the Metro Council will have to change a parish ordinance that generally prohibits the possession of alcohol at most BREC facilities.

That item will come before the Metro Council for introduction March 13 and will be considered for final approval March 27, BREC Superintendent Carolyn McKnight said Thursday night.

“This is not really a decision for the commission,” she said. “The Metro Council will have to make the decision.”

But McKnight said she wanted to bring the matter to the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and Park Commission before it went to the Metro Council.

Commission member Lloyd Benson moved to defer the item for one month, saying he was concerned about the impact alcohol sales could have on youth using BREC facilities.

Benson said he wasn’t “totally opposed” to the policy, but he wanted to see more details about how it would be put into practice.

Benson’s motion was seconded by John Taylor. Taylor said he wanted to learn more about the proposal.

“It’s like ‘let’s pass it and we will learn the details later,’ ” Taylor said. “I am not comfortable with it yet.”

However, Benson’s motion failed.

McKnight told Benson that the details would be worked out when the staff at each BREC site create an Alcohol Compliance and Managment Plan listing procedures to govern alcohol sales at that site.

Those plans would have to be vetted and approved by McKnight who, after commission members suggested it, agreed to solicit input from BREC’s committees on
the implementation of the policy.

McKnight and Baton Rouge Zoo Director Phil Frost, who presented the plan at the Thursday meeting, repeatedly assured commission members that they were committed to proceeding cautiously with alcohol sales.

There will be no hard liquor sold, McKnight said.

“There will be nothing beyond wine, maybe champagne,” she said.

Frost said caution was a guiding principle in developing the policy, a process that lasted nine months.

“We moved with much caution, knowing we were here to serve the public,” he said. “The plans must include a full detail of how we make sure alcohol does not get in the hands of minors,” he said.

The plans will also address security, signage and where on each site alcohol could be consumed, Frost said.

“It’s going to be based on what’s best for that neighborhood, that area, that facility,” he said.

In preparing the policy, Frost said BREC administrators met with Metro Council members, representatives from the mayor’s office, the parish attorney, the parish Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, the state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, and consulted with other park systems.

Under the proposed policy, alcohol could be sold at all BREC golf courses except for J.S. Clark, where BREC hosts a junior golf program. Other sites where alcohol would be sold include: the Baton Rouge Gallery, the Baton Rouge Zoo, Bluebonnet Nature Center, the Burbank Soccer Complex, the Central Community Sports Park, several tennis centers and Olympia Stadium during certain events.

Alcohol sales would be prohibited at Liberty Lagoon water park and all pools, according to the policy.

Comments

1) Comment by foldgers - 01/03/2013

I assume they are talking about selling only at golf courses. Although it would bring more people to pay to play and more income, I think it is dangerous. Not because someone will pull a gun out while drunk, but because if on the way out, the person hits and kills a kid after the BREC park served him, then the lawsuit would be insane. Even if he only had one beer. I don't think the parks that just have swings and what not will be selling. Either way, I assume again these golf courses are losing money and they are trying to raise funds without raising taxes. Easy solution, sell them. Does our park system even need to provide a golf course, let alone at least 3 or 4 I know of? These are acres and acres of real estate that the city basically owns, right? Start with the City Park golf course, sell it. That land is prime real estate. It would provide millions to the city right away, it would mean the city could then cut BREC's budget by the amount the city gives it each year to run that one course. The money from the sale could be put into a savings account earning interest for a rainy day fund, maybe spend some of it to projects to beautify the city. And in the meantime, whoever buys that land could either keep it as a golf course and make money themselves or develop it into lots to build houses on. Either way the buyer uses the land, it would mean more property taxes into the city's general fund, guess what? That means more money to CATS. As homes, they would be worth a ton bringing in a lot of property taxes, maybe more than if kept as a golf course by a private buyer. But, either way, more revenues for schools, trash, mosquito control, CATS, police, fire and everything else that is on the back of my property tax bills. It would save money for the city AND also make money. Quick example, if the city gives BREC $500,000 a year to keep up that one course and the city sells the land and it brings in $500,000 a year in new property taxes, that is basically an extra $1,000,000 a year the city will have, not to mention the money from the sale of the land for future problems... just my opinion. BUT, if they insist to keep it, then just ALLOW people to bring their own alcohol on the course, don't sell it!

2) Comment by nimby? - 01/03/2013

agree with all previous comments , if you wanna drink around your kids , do it at your house , not in front of mine .

3) Comment by telstar1950 - 01/03/2013

This is bad idea. I would like to know the name of the person who introduced this proposal. If the citizens of Baton Rouge allow this to happen, they will be contaminating one of the few remaining venues that children have for themselves. What's next? Handing out condoms to kids when they go to the zoo? BREC needs an enema!

4) Comment by phil - 01/03/2013

I guess next thing will be a law that says bars can use public funds to build public parks on their property? Seriously, we hear about how our children have problems in this city, and then we promote drinking alcohol at public parks? Sorry, but if adults want to drink alcohol let them drive themselves over to the local bar. Personally I think BREC parks are mainly for the kids in EBR Parish and if adults want adult entertainment, then they can go to places where adult entertainment is proper. I can see it in the news now - "drunk adult shoots another adult in argument over golf score at BREC park."

5) Comment by foldgers - 01/03/2013

I still don't know where I sit with this. First, I do not think the government should be in business in the first place. Does BREC really need that many golf courses that people pay to play on, but I am sure they lose money on. Second, now the government will be selling alcohol? Taking money away from the private sector again? Like with the little water park recently built. Third, this would mean that all parks will have to allow alcohol, otherwise, discrimination will be screamed for allowing the golf player types to drink in the parks, but not the non golf type, if you catch my drift. Also, if drinking is then allowed in all parks, I would think that kids may be put in danger, either by drinking parents driving them or by a person driving after a few beers while kids are playing. NOW, if alcohol was allowed to be served, I am NOT saying everyone there will be irresponsible and be driving drunk, chances are there would be a DD, but there are still the few bad apples. Then, IF, big IF here, a kid were hit by a person leaving a BREC park after being served alcohol at said BREC park... Could you imagine the lawsuit against the government? The cost of insurance would skyrocket for BREC right away and if a kid was killed, the insurance would cover most of it, but chances are not all of the costs and the city would have to come up with the rest. Then the rates would go up for BREC and BREC would need more tax dollars and so on. Now, with ALL of that said, I say let people just bring their own alcohol. If that is allowed, I will say a lot more people would go pay to play golf. Maybe charge extra if they will be drinking, but selling it? I don't like it.

6) Comment by Buck749 - 01/03/2013

No alcohol at JS Clark because of a junior golf program but alchohol will be sold at the Baton Rouge Zoo? I'm confused......I'm sure more kids go to the zoo than are in the junior golf program at JS Clark. Sounds like they are targeting a certain area to me. I'm just saying.