MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) -
The Gophers' home opener at TCF Bank Stadium this weekend will go down in the history as the first game offering in-stadium beer sales -- but it won't be cheap. Each brew will cost you $7.25.
The highly-controversial move was made possible by the Minnesota Legislature this year as they negotiated a way to allow the Vikings to serve up brews at their home games while borrowing the Bank during construction of their new stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
Fans who want to buy beer or wine will have to come to the west plaza under the scoreboard. That's the only area designated for alcohol sales.
The University of Minnesota has put a lot of planning into this, but they are prepared for it to be a work in progress.
"Alcohol sales -- beer sales or wine sales -- are going to be in these four tents," explained Scott Ellison, associate athletic director at the U.
Each tent will have eight sales stations and a cooler containing 30 kegs of beer, and U expects to have big crowds at that end of the stadium. That's why they are setting up an overflow area outside Gate A, where another four tents will hold another 120 kegs.
Even so, the lines are a concern as the U gives its first go at alcohol sales.
"We've done our best planning as far as line management and moving people through as fast as we can," Ellison said. "Quite honestly, it's going to be an experiment for us the first game."
Sales will begin one hour before kickoff, but fans will be limited to two drinks per person. No hard liquor will be available, and beer including will cost $7.25 per cup.
Beer options will include Miller Lite, Summit and Grain Belt.
The U has also hired extra police officers and security to monitor the alcohol sales just in case, but they don't anticipate any problems beyond potentially long lines.
