ROCK SPRINGS – Just a few days after members of the Bud Cup Hockey Tournament spoke to the Rock Springs City Council, they appeared before the Rock Springs Parks and Recreation Board to talk about possible changes to the alcohol restrictions on the tournament.
The restrictions were put on the tournament several years ago when the police were called after several complaints of fighting, public intoxication and other issues. Along with that, parents called and complained to the city and recreation department about alcohol being around their children.
City officials and the Recreation Department were seriously contemplating doing away with the tournament and/or the alcohol related to the tournament. The Bud Cup Hockey Tournament is the only event in the Rock Springs Family Recreation Center allowed to have alcohol.
To avoid saying adios to the tournament, members of the Bud Cup and the Rock Springs Parks and Recreation Board came up with an agreement that involved using a beer garden to keep minors away from the alcohol and also keeping the alcohol in the Ice Arena. For the past few years, the tournament has been successful and without problems.
On Thursday night at the Rock Springs Parks and Recreation Board meeting, the Bud Cup asked for a change to the agreement. They asked the board if they would be willing to allow family members, including underage family members, into the beer garden so families could be together. They said they were losing people because they cannot sit with their entire family when drinking beer.
Board member Lynne Demshar asked how they would make sure no minors were drinking. She also said they have come forward after almost losing the event and wondered if this change wouldn’t be a step back.
The tournament spokesman said they had bracelets and people who monitor and watch to make sure minors are not drinking.
Board Chairman Ron Cheese was at the RSFRC the day the problems happened and saw the issues first hand.
“I personally don’t think alcohol should be in the recreation center,” he said.
The members of the Bud Cup said they felt that the city was discriminating against them. Events at city parks allow alcohol throughout the park.
Board member Stevi Madsen came right back, reminding them they are the only event which is allowed to have alcohol in the RSFRC.
Park and Recreation Director Dave Lansang said the first he heard of the proposed change was Tuesday when Bud Cup organizers approached the city council. At that meeting, Lansang urged the council to involve the Recreation Board because of the work they did on the agreement.
Lansang said he talked to staff after the council meeting, and they felt what they were doing was not broken, and there was no need to fix it. He also said he spoke to Rock Springs Police Cmdr. Dwane Pacheco who told him allowing minors in the beer garden would compromise the purpose of it. Lansang said Pacheco stressed to him they should be separate.
Lansang also pointed out there were sections of bleachers that were part of the beer garden. Family members could sit in the vicinity of the beer garden.
Madsen said she believed things were going smoothly and did not see a problem with the way it was.
Board member Bill Legerski asked when the event was planned. It is in March. He said he would like a little more time to look at the proposed change. Legerski then made a motion to table the request. This motion was voted down. The board then made a motion to leave it as is which passed unanimously.
