Byrd Stadium

The Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners voted 3-1 to approve this university’s proposal to serve beer at Byrd Stadium and Xfinity Center during select sporting events for a one-year trial period starting this fall.

“We’re not selling beer, we’re selling responsibility,” said Joe Mullineaux, Dining Services senior associate director, at the meeting.

University President Wallace Loh was one of the eight people who spoke favorably of the proposal at the hearing, Student Government Association President Patrick Ronk said. Loh projected the university would see $500,000 of net revenue per year from alcohol sales, but said that “the University of Maryland is not being driven by revenue.”

Those funds will support student services, such as mental health counseling, sexual assault prevention and responsible drinking programs, according to an email Loh sent to the campus June 11.

“I support it because I believe that … we all believe in safely and responsibly drinking,” Loh said at the meeting.

University Police Chief David Mitchell said the university tailgate on the campus before football games has been successful in curbing excessive drinking and has reduced disruptive behavior in city neighborhoods. He said allowing fans to purchase a beer while watching football would mirror this success.

“150, 200 [people], I’ve seen it, you’ve seen it, in a backyard … it’s out of control, the neighbors who are living there are upset and are calling the police,” Mitchell said at the meeting.

The College Park City Council took a 5-3 stance in support of the proposal at Tuesday night’s work session.

Increasing alcohol availability could create a culture that encourages more drinking, District 2 Councilman P.J. Brennan said at the work session. Brennan voted against the proposal.

“It’s not going to stop any underage drinking or binge drinking in our city,” Brennan said. “It’s not going to stop noise or litter or vandalism within our communities.“

Amelia Arria and David Jernigan, the co-directors of the Maryland Collaborative to Reduce College Drinking and Related Problems who spoke in opposition at the county board of commissioner’s meeting, shared a similar view. Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s) also spoke in opposition at the meeting.

“Why do you want to experiment with the young?” Peña-Melnyk said to the board. “It is absolutely wrong.”

Ronk said expanding alcohol sales at athletic events would be the most realistic approach to addressing binge drinking on the campus.

“It’s a case of acknowledging students drink … versus being afraid of alcohol,” Ronk said at the meeting. “I think the opposition, while well intentioned, is kind of unrealistic about a lot of things.”

Employees checking IDs at games will use black lights and scanners to ensure authenticity, Mullineaux said. The university will also promote a designated driver and cab program to encourage safe and responsible drinking, according to the proposal.

“This is a very important step forward in terms of enhancing responsible and safe drinking for students,” Loh said. “It’s not about money, it’s not about a ‘victory,’ as somebody asked me; it’s about a commitment to the safety of students.”

Senior staff writer Ellie Silverman contributed to this report.