University of Minnesota wants to continue stadium alcohol sales
University of Minnesota officials want beer and wine to keep flowing at TCF Bank Stadium.
On Friday, regents will review a report on the U's two-year experiment selling beer and wine in the stadium comes to an end July 1.
Campus officials say selling alcohol has led to no significant increase in the number of police calls on game days, and that it has not caused significant problems in surrounding neighborhoods.
It's also making money for the U.
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The athletics department initially lost $15,000 its first year due to start-up costs and a contract that was not favorable to the U, the report said. A U spokesman said the university was able to renegotiate the contract and get some money back that year, which led to a first-year profit of $21,000 in 2012.
Last year, the report says, the athletics department made a profit of about $182,000 on sales of more than $1 million.
The report suggests increasing the number of locations fans can buy beer and wine in the stadium.
But it recommends that the U continue to sell alcohol in Mariucci and Williams arenas only in the premium seating areas.
A U spokesman said the U will likely ask lawmakers to allow continued sales.