The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition - Thursday, September 6, 1990 - Page 5
Minors feel squeeze as area
fars make move to over 21
Jennifer Hirl
$-University students faced quite a
sikk when they returned to campus
f ,this academic school year.
pus nightclubs such as Rick's
Amiierican Caf6 and Charlie's recently
r4 d the minimum age for entry
6 19 years of age to 21.
. "I may never get into the bars,"
id 19-year-old Engineering student
Korn.
*' When I came to school here I
+4ag 17 and had to wait until I was
t1 o go to bars. Then just when I
t~fned 18 it went to 19. So I've been
for about six month's, and now
t$y're going to 21," Kom said.
4 he bars raised the age limit for
V'arous reasons. Minors allowed into
a bar are often able to illegally
obtain alcoholic beverages. This
*ssibility places nightclubs under
great risk, since they must assume
a fight with a minor.
"I think that when that kid got
kicked to death up in that parking
structure this spring, it caused a
little bit more concern with the
activities that are going on in the
bars because it was someone that
was under age that was the kicker,"
said Ann Arbor Police Captain
Richard DeGrand.
Recently police officials have
enforced laws more strictly. Blind
Pig General Manager and Booking
Agent Ann Marie Stadler said, "I've
been at Rick's on a Wednesday night
when the police have randomly
entered with flashlights to check
identification."
O'Sullivan's Assistant Manager
Scott Coleman said other tactics he
has observed include working under
cover to investigate whether
nightclubs continue to serve
Arbor Police said that they played no
part in convincing the nightclubs to
change the entry age limit to 21.
"The age change is an independent
decision," said Bunten. "As long as
you have a liquor license and there is
a risk of serving minors that is an
appropriate decision," he added.
Kevin Plagens, the Managing
Partner of Rick's agrees. "We did it
for the best interest of the business,
and we wouldn't have done it if it
hurt our business."
While sixty-nine percent of the
University's undergraduates are under
21, according to the Registrar's
statistics for Fall of 1989, students
said the change will result in a loss
of business for the popular campus
nightclubs.
"They are only hurting
themselves," said LSA sophomore
Sally Coleman. "People won't go if
their friends can't get in, therefore
fraternity parties and off-campus
housing parties will take the place of
the bar scene," she said.
One nightclub that has not
conformed to raising the entrance age
is the Blind Pig. The bar is
expecting a rush of 19- and 20-year-
old students.
"We take pride in the fact that we
have never received any violations,"
said Stadler. "We'd like to keep it
that way. We feel we can keep
control since we have good relations
with the police."
Most students are bothered with
the new changes.
"Personally, I think they should
keep the age between 18 and 21 for
the students coming in so they get a
chance to pick up on the Ann Arbor
See BARS, Page 16
Without bars and clubs to drink in, students may resort to fraternity parties like this one.
'When I came to school here I was 17 and
had to wait until I was 18 to go to bars. Then
just when I turned 18 it went to 19. So I've
been 19 for about six months, and now
Uhey're going to go to 21.'
-Dan Korn, 19-year-old student
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WELCOME BACK!
liibility for all minors entering their
facilities.
It is our responsibility any time
iinors are in the club. Relieving us
qf.; the responsibility would
strengthen our position as a business
in the long run," said Rick's
manager Steve Crowley.
The city, of Ann Arbor began
eking down on the'bars largely as
esult of last spring's death of Ann
rbor man outside of Dooley's after
intoxicated customers. In addition,
police have even hired high school
students to use fake identification in
order to witness illegal entrance into
bars.
There ,is widespread speculation
the Ann Arbor police department's
strict enforcement of the drinking
age has resulted in campus bars
raising the entrance age to avoid
legal trouble.
Captain Paul Bunten of the Ann
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? Another year of school has just begun! There's so
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,r y~ouryr
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- Association
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Stop in and learn about:
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0JParents' Weekend
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