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Busch Gardens Thirsts For Beer Sales

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By ELLEN GEDALIUS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2007

TAMPA - A couple of weeks ago, the city council voted down a proposal to expand alcohol sales at Raymond James Stadium.

Busch Gardens hopes the council reacts differently to a plan to expand alcohol sales at Busch's theme parks, including Adventure Island.

Under existing rules, Busch Gardens can sell alcohol at only a few spots in the massive theme park, including the Desert Grill and Crown Colony House restaurants. Parkgoers also can sample beer at the Anheuser-Busch Hospitality House.

Now Busch Gardens and Adventure Island want to be able to sell alcohol - beer, wine and liquor - at kiosks throughout the park, said Abbye Feeley, a city planner.

The park also wants to sell Anheuser-Busch branded beer packages for guests to take home as souvenirs, according to paperwork filed with the city.

The request is 'designed to bring more flexibility to the parks' current alcohol sales and service options,' park spokesman Gerard Hoeppner said in a statement. 'This flexibility would include expanding the location of venues and choices of alcohol products available to adult guests where necessitated by changes in park design and attraction location or during private client events.'
Hoeppner declined to answer questions.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had wanted to sell mixed drinks in general seating areas, and sought the city council's permission. Under existing rules, mixed drinks can only be sold in a few areas, such as club seats. The council first approved the measure but reversed its opinion a few weeks later, citing public safety concerns.

Tampa police Maj. John Bennett told the council that the department was involved in 192 incidents at the stadium - and 92, or 48 percent, of them involved alcohol.

Bennett wrote in a memo to the council that additional alcohol sales would result in more disorderly behavior and criminal activity near the stadium.

Ellen Snelling, co-chairwoman of the Tampa Alcohol Coalition, also opposed the stadium alcohol proposal.

The Busch Gardens request is different, she said.

'The main difference is Raymond James has certain problems with alcohol right now,' Snelling said. 'There's data. People are taken out of the stadium because of fighting and alcohol.' Snelling said some board members have concerns but they are yet to take a formal stance on the issue.

Similar data don't exist at Busch Gardens, where Tampa police have had to respond to only a couple of alcohol-related incidents in the past few years.

Still, Terry Neal, president of the Temple Crest Neighborhood Association, said he fears that expanding alcohol sales at Busch Gardens will disturb his neighborhood.

'It's a residential area,' Neal said. 'I'm concerned of people drinking in the park and then driving down residential streets.'

The Tampa Police Department isn't taking an official position on the proposal, spokeswoman Andrea Davis said.

'It's very different from a sporting event,' Davis added.

Councilman Charlie Miranda, who made the motion to deny the Bucs' alcohol request, said he didn't know how he would vote on the Busch Gardens proposal.

However, he did say: 'I don't like too much alcohol around young kids.'

The council is scheduled to consider the proposal at its meeting Thursday at City Hall.

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.

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