Proposal to Sell Alcohol in all Seating Areas at Bobcat Stadium

Presented to: Kathy Weiser, ASG Advisor Dr. Margarita Arellano, Dean of Students Dennis Franchione, Head Football Coach Dr. Larry Teis, Athletics Director Dr. Joanne Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Gene Bourgeois, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Denise Trauth, University President

By: David Blanch, ASG Senator On behalf of the Associated Student Government

I.

Introduction
As the official representative body of the Texas State student community, the Associated Student Government consists of three branches the executive, legislative, and judicial. Within the legislative branch lies the student senate, comprised of sixty senators who represent on-campus, off-campus, and college-specific students. The Associated Student Government recommends piloting the following plan to expand alcohol sales, from club and suite seating housed within the Jerry D. and Linda Gregg Fields Westside Complex, to all seating areas at Bobcat Stadium for the 2013 football season.

II.

Proposal
Texas State will submit a request for proposal (RFP) to engage catering and distribution companies, in the Austin and San Antonio areas, to staff and sell beer in all concession areas in general seating sections, until the beginning of the fourth quarter, at each 2013 home football game. In addition, eight temporary kiosk stations will be set up throughout the concourse to exclusively sell alcohol. Catering employees will be responsible for identifying attendees who are over the legal drinking age of 21. At each game, a station will be set up to identify those who are over 21 and provide wristbands to ease congestion at concession stands. Employees will have the right to refuse anyone who, in their opinion, has had too much to drink. If attendees act out of line, catering employees will contact University Police Department and have them removed from Bobcat Stadium. Beer options will include Bud Light, Miller Light, and Shiner Bock; and will be sold for six dollars per 12-ounce, clear cup. Attendees are limited to two beers per purchase.

Texas State will install additional trash bins and introduce recycling containers placed specifically for plastic cups used in serving alcohol. Costs of added waste management containers will be covered by added revenues generated from this proposal.

III.

Risk Management
To mitigate added risk, the Associated Student Government recommends taking the following actions: License GuestAssist, a web-based communication service that enables one-to-one text messaging communications between attendees and facility operations. Through this service, fans are able to request assistance by text messaging a five-digit number; thus alerting a central command location, and University Police if necessary, of any incidents that may occur.

Earmark no less than one-fourth of all profit generated from alcohol sales to fund the establishment of a safe-ride program, much like the disbanded Students with Alternative Transportation (SWAT), that provides the San Marcos community with free rides home from 10pm to 3am; every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night; during the Spring and Fall semesters at Texas State University-San Marcos. Expand security by adding event staff, University Police Department officers, and San Marcos Police Department officers; as well as other officers from the surrounding community. Costs of added security will be covered by added revenues generated from this proposal.

Following the 2013 season, a committee will be established to review the programs longterm feasibility. The committee will include at least three representatives from the Associated Student Government: the President, Vice-President, and Athletics Liaison.

IV.

Why this is needed

Attendance According to the Athletic Budget for Fiscal Year 2012, student athletic fees account for 55 percent, or $11,818,000, of total budgeted athletic expenditures. When the 2008 referendum was passed by students to double the athletic fee in two dollar per-year increments, it was supported with the understanding that both students and alumni would recognize the commitment being made and increase attendance to acceptable Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) levels. While football attendance has grown to 15,106 in 2011, Texas State falls well below the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) 2011 average of 20,407 a ten-year conference low and sits behind 16 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools in attendance. By incentivizing the attendance of games through the sale of alcohol, the Associated Student Government believes Texas State will inject immediate support from both students and alumni, and assist a very young football team as they enter their first bowl-eligible season as an FBS institution. Pride Lead by Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Joanne Smith, Texas State University launched a We are Bobcats marketing campaign beginning Fall 2011. The campaign depicts Bobcats as academically successful, caring, healthy, responsible, and proud. The Associated Student Government asks university administrators to give students the opportunity to uphold these standards during the 2013 football season.

V.

Budget
Assumptions Provided below is a pro forma gross profit calculation of a sold out football game, using pricing provided by club and suite-level caterer Dagars Catering of Austin as an example. In addition, the proposal includes the following assumptions: A sold out stadium. 600 donors in our club and suite levels, 5,000 students, and the remaining 24,400 alumni and guests. Total is 30,000. Pricing is set competitive to other sporting events in the industry. One twelve-ounce beer will cost guests $6.00. Dagars employee rates are set at an established rate of $14.25 per hour, and used in this proposal as an example. This proposal recommends hiring 24 catering employees. Each keg of beer is priced by the catering company or distributor. This proposal uses Dagars price of $350.00 per keg. This proposal assumes 40 percent of students will be over 21 and purchase one 12-ounce cup of beer. In addition, it is estimated that 45 percent of alumni and guests, excluding current students, will purchase one 12-ounce cup of beer. Licensing fees associated from the use of GuestAssist are set at an annual rate of $2500. Pro Forma Gross Profit Calculation Expected Attendance: 30,000 Revenues Beer Sales Students Attendees Total Revenues Costs GuestAssist License Catering staff Beer costs Total Costs

$77,880 $12,000 $65,880 $77,880

$417 $1,368 $28,394 $30,178

Gross Profit GP %

$47,702 61%

VI.

Endorsements
The following individuals have endorsed this proposal and recommend implementation for the 2013 football season: Associated Student Government o Adam Brass, Senator o Dominique Jackson, Senator o Joseph Flores, Senator o Paige Cook, Senator o Nicolle Guice, Senator o Caitlin Wilkerson, Senator o Kourtney Applegate, Senator o Adam French, Senator o Maxfield Baker, Senator o Michelle Rohmer, Senator o Steven Arnold, Senator o Chuck Lamar, Senator