SAN ANGELO, Texas — The San Angelo City Council unanimously approved the sale of alcoholic beverages at Angelo State University's Junell Center and Stephens Arena.
However, not everyone is in agreement with alcohol sales. Before today's decision, parents and students voiced their concerns about the impact alcohol sales have had on the community.
“I want to assure the public that we are very careful of who we sell alcohol to and of course we are going to have police officers there to be on the lookout at the football stadium,” said Joe Munoz, Senior Executive Assistant to the President and General Counsel at Angelo State University.
ASU currently holds a temporary liquor permit granted by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Alcohol sales usually end in the third quarter of the football games and no alcohol is sold at the Ram Jam tailgating events before the game. Munoz said there haven't been many problems since alcohol sales began.
“Most of the students that live on campus are minors, our students need to see that they can go to football games and have a good and enjoyable time without having to add alcohol to the mix,” said San Angelo resident Kimberly Thompson.
Thompson argues that not only is ASU 300 feet from an elementary school, a middle school and three churches are also nearby and two of those churches provide child care at their facilities.
San Angelo city officials say the distance is measured property-line-to-property-line, meaning that ASU falls within TABC guidelines to sell alcoholic beverages at the Junell Center and Stephens Arena. ASU's alcohol permit was originally denied because of the 300-foot rule, but with today's ruling, the university's alcohol permit will likely be approved by the TABC.
