SHOW ME CENTER SERVES BEER AT ROCK CONCERT

Cape Girardeau's Show Me Center sold beer to drinking-age customers at the ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd concert on March 3.

It was the first time since 1991 that beer has been sold at a Show Me Center concert.

Center Director David Ross said beer was sold some years ago on a Sunday at a country music performance. Some in the public criticized the move.

Ross said the Show Me Center's Board of Managers then recommended the center back off of beer sales at concerts.

The board voted in March 1991 to stick with a no-alcohol policy following a trial sale of beer at a Ricky Van Shelton concert.

At that time, Ross said he didn't believe the community was ready for beer to be sold at the Show Me Center.

But times may have changed.

"We have not done it in recent years," Ross said Friday. "The policy we have at the Show Me Center is that alcohol can be served at the discretion of the director."

Ross said the Show Me Center may serve alcoholic beverages at more events in the future.

Ross said the Show Me Center doesn't sell alcoholic beverages at Southeast Missouri State University events because the majority of the students are younger than the legal drinking age of 21.

Alcoholic beverages aren't served in the campus cafeterias and the school has a prohibition against alcoholic beverages in the campus residence halls.

But alcoholic beverages have been sold at some entertainment events. "We have always served beer at motor sports events and at the sports show," Ross said.

Ross said he and his operations manager traveled to Louisville, Ky., in February to witness a ZZ Top concert so they could plan how to accommodate the truckloads of equipment needed for the Show Me Center performance.

They also wanted to see what type of crowd the concert drew. "Much to our delight, we found it was an older age group," said Ross.

The bands drew a crowd mostly 35 years of age and older, he said.

Although initially, the Show Me Center hadn't planned to sell beer at the event, Ross said every arena on the ZZ Top concert tour served beer. "We felt like this one was a good one for us to do as well."

The Show Me Center receives the revenue from the sale of food and beverages at the concession stands.

Ross said it made sense to sell beer at the concert. "It was a crowd that was a beer-drinking crowd. They were going to ask for it, regardless," he said.

Ross said he informed the Board of Managers prior to the event that he intended to sell beer at the concert.

Ross said many in the concert crowd seemed pleased that beer was available.

Port Cape Girardeau restaurant employees served the beer on tap from separate concession stands. The restaurant has a catering operation.

Ross said the Show Me Center hired Port Cape Girardeau to serve the beer, eliminating the need for the center to have a liquor license. "They carry the alcohol liability insurance," he said, explaining another reason for hiring the catering company.

Ross said the Show Me Center was built as a joint project of the university and the city of Cape Girardeau. University and city officials agreed at the time that the sale of alcoholic beverages should be allowed in the center, he said.

The city, said Ross, wanted the Show Me Center to serve as a convention center.

Ross said he doesn't plan to offer beer at all Show Me Center events. "We want to proceed slowly and manage it effectively," he said.

At the recent concert, beer sold for $3 a cup. Ross said beer sales add to the center's revenue stream.

He said the added revenue can help the center in covering the cost of entertainment.

Beer, he said, is sold at arenas like the Pyramid in Memphis, Tenn., where the University of Memphis plays its basketball games.

Ross said the Show Me Center hasn't sold beer at the annual Longhorn Rodeo because the promoter has requested it not be sold.

"We have to manage the building responsibly," said Ross.

The public's view of beer sales at public arenas has changed over the years with the promotion of responsible drinking, Ross said.