Every year? Someone dies in Jacksonville every day. Close it down, I say! Close down the whole city! Seriously, Woody has a point. It's fine to insist that laws are well-enforced at the event. If underage drinking is a problem and he wants more enforcement, then I have no problem with that. However, legal activities should not be infringed upon by the U of F at a site they neither own nor rent. They simply have no standing to tell private businesses and their customers what business they can transact just because the Gators happen to be in town. I'm sure Machen will have great luck calling up Atlanta and telling them that he'll move the game there if they'll just shut down their bars for the day.
Rob From: Gatortalk@googlegroups.com [mailto:gatort...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Oliver Barry Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 3:08 PM To: Gatortalk@googlegroups.com Subject: [gatortalk] Re: Fwd: [gatornews] [SUN]: Machen tackling UF-UGA drinking I think the fact that someone dies there every year is the reason for the crack-down. Oliver Barry CRS,GRI Real Estate Broker Bob Parks Realty 1517 Hunt Club Blvd Gallatin TN 37066 Phone: 615-826-4040 Fax: 615-822-2027 Mobile: 615-972-4239 Ridiculous. This is basically creating a nanny state. If they are old enuff to drink that shouldnt be curbed, its a personal choice. This is also a bad idea considering the State of Fla and Jax could use every bit of revenue they can get. Woody Begin forwarded message: From: "Shane Ford" <goufgat...@bellsouth.net> Date: July 8, 2009 1:45:35 PM EDT To: gatorn...@googlegroups.com (GatorNEWS) Subject: [gatornews] [SUN]: Machen tackling UF-UGA drinking Reply-To: gatornews+ow...@googlegroups.com Machen tackling UF-UGA drinking He is asking for changes to be made at The Landing for the game. By Nathan Crabbe <mailto:nathan.cra...@gvillesun.com> - Gainesville SUN Published: Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 11:04 p.m. If University of Florida President Bernie Machen has his way, there will be fewer revelers, more law enforcement and no shots of liquor at the Jacksonville Landing during the Florida-Georgia game. UF's agreement to hold the game in Jacksonville expires next year. Last month, Machen met with Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton and other officials to discuss renewal of the contract. Machen has expressed support for keeping the game in Jacksonville. But in a letter to Peyton, Machen and UF Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Telles-Irvin outlined concerns. Those concerns focused on the Landing, a center with bars and restaurants near the Jacksonville waterfront. The letter raised questions about the cramped conditions there, the amount of alcohol being consumed and an "inconsistent" practice of carding customers. "Were there an emergency which required evacuation, the crowded conditions and the party's intoxication levels appear to make such an evacuation impossible," the letter said. The letter asks for the city to address nine issues, including increasing the presence of the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at both evenings of the game weekend. The issues also include asking for the city's commitment to limit occupancy at the Landing, prohibit the sale of shots of alcohol there and cut temporary alcohol vendors in half. In an e-mail to The Sun, Machen wrote that he was optimistic some changes will be made. "If that is done, we will gladly renew our agreement," he wrote. The mayor's chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, said a plan will be brought back to Machen in the next few weeks. Some issues must be negotiated with the owners of the Landing, he said. "These aren't issues that the government can effect by fiat," Hollingsworth said. He said officials with the Landing were open to changes. The general manager of the Landing could not be reached for comment. The letter also asks the city to fund the Sideline Safety Zone, which provides first aid, food and water, transportation and help for students in locating friends. The zone cost UF about $10,000 last year and served at least 333 people, according to the university. The University of Georgia had contributed to the cost of the zone before last year. But budget issues in part led Georgia to discontinue the practice, a university spokesman said. Hollingsworth said the city already contributes money and staff to the safety zone and would consider increasing the amount. He expressed confidence the game would stay in Jacksonville. "We hope to do it for many years to come," he said. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
