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There's more on tap than just the score for a big football game in Sioux Falls this month. The Sioux Falls City Council approved selling alcohol at Howard Wood Field when the University of South Dakota takes on the National Champion Bison from North Dakota State University October 20.
Howard Wood is home to countless high school football games. The facility is typically dry because it's Sioux Falls School District property.
But the Sioux Falls Sports Authority worked out an agreement with the school district to sell booze at the stadium.
“You've got the national champions coming into Sioux Falls and you have USD making a presence in Sioux Falls. So I think it's a great game,” Sioux Falls Sports Authority Director Mike Sullivan said.
Sullivan expects the stands to be packed. And because it's a special event, he's requested a policy exemption at The Wood. All Bison and Coyote fans of legal age can have a cold one.
“Some people do and some people don't. That's fine too. It's just a thing that we do to increase revenue and allows us to bring in more events in the future,” Sullivan said.
The city council passed the special one-day liquor license application Tuesday night for the October 20 match-up. Food and beverage vendor SMG already has the license at the Arena and Convention Center. The special permit was granted to the food vendor.
“It's a publicly owned facility and that's where the event is being hosted. And the additional factor is that they're a license holder already so they can apply for a special one-day,” Sioux Falls Licensing Specialist Jamie Palmer said.
The public property belongs to the Sioux Falls School District, it's typically drug free. Sullivan says the sports authority gets a pass on that policy for the one-day event. But he says there are still rules to follow, just like other events the organization sponsors.
“We've got security there. We've got procedures in place. We've got people Identified through wristbands,” Sullivan said. “I can shut it off at any time.”
Sullivan says the policy for the game is a person with a legal wristband will only be allowed to purchase two beers at a time. He says the staff is trained to spot those trying to skirt rules.
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