PSU’s State Patty’s Day Headed Downhill, Again

Ashley Schaeffer BMW12 years ago

An update on Rex Reagan’s previous article regarding Penn State’s notoriously debauchery filled State Patty’s Day:

It seems officials in downtown State College, PA are hell-bent on ruining the student established holiday, which in years past has seen mass amounts of Nittany Lion fratstars don head-to-toe green and take to the streets of the town, for nothing short of a daylong festivus.

Per the Daily Collegian:

The Partnership: Campus & Community United Against Dangerous Drinking announced 34 locations that will either close entirely or serve only food and non-alcoholic drinks on Saturday to create an alcohol-free zone downtown, according to the release. The partnership is providing each of the participating businesses with a $5,000 subsidy to make up for potential lost income.

Yes, you read that correctly. There’s more than 34 establishments confined to roughly a three mile radius that is “downtown,” and each one is pledging to keep it’s taps dry in an effort to oust some of the lewd behavior in past years, for a mere $5,000.

Right off the bat, this doesn’t make sense. I mean, being that the majority of Penn State’s bars are owned collectively by a few sole individuals, you have to ask, where is this subsidy coin going? Sure as hell not in the hands of any student lucky enough to bartend or serve at one of these many heralded Bar Tour stops, I know that much.

Having experienced my fair share of this wonderful impromptu holiday that began in 2006, originally serving as a response to the University attempting to impose similar regulations on the actual St. Patrick’s Day, I can definitively say there’s no way that $5K is enough to recoup possible revenues for bar owners on this raucously fun day.

Sounds like a little embezzlement action, no?

The article continues:

Damon Sims, co-chairman of the partnership and vice president for student affairs, said in the release that the money will come from parking fees from previous State Patty’s weekends. Parking officials have kept track of the revenue and directed it to the partnership.

“The decision of many owners last year to limit hours or close all together was a critical contributor to improved outcomes,” Sims said in the release. “This new agreement should further diminish the destructive excess encouraged by State Patty’s Day, and we could not be more grateful to these business leaders for their responsible action.”

Now this is just idiotic. Taking the revenues generated on parking tickets during THIS holiday in past years, and handing them out to the few people who control the costly liquor licenses in the community and then having the nerve to claim that it’s with the intention of “diminishing the destructive(ness)” caused by this holiday?

I’m calling your bullshit, pal.

By not allowing students to drink in controlled environments such as a bar that is flooded with security bouncers, you’re only forcing them to take their purported binge drinking and party antics behind closed doors. I’m pretty sure the statistics say that incidences of danger are a lot more likely at closed parties, but you guys only bring up that kind of stuff when seeking to belay punishment when unfortunate acts by a few regretful individuals paint your publicity in a bad light.

This method of risk mitigation is ludicrous, and being overly cautious and imposing regulations like this is only going to fuel the student body to rage harder out of spite, and in some places that are not fit for the level of partying set to take place, unlike the bars downtown.

And there’s more:

Jennifer Zangrilli, president of the Tavern Owner’s Association and director of operations at Dante’s Restaurants, Inc., said in the release she’s proud that the association’s members put aside their individual needs and views to benefit the community.

“Our collective desire is to see our community and downtown not only grow but thrive,” Zangrilli said in the release.

Yeah. Well Dante’s Inc. owns seven bars downtown, so Jennifer’s set to get cut a $35,000 check. Makes sense right?

Your desire is not to see the community “grow and thrive” you scumbag, Miss Zangrilli, your desire is simply to put money in your pocket as quickly as you can, even if it’s at the cost of those in your community; in this case, Penn State students.

Considering the already instituted IFC policy that holds no fraternity may have first floor parties at any time on Saturday, now you’re telling students they can’t go to the bar either?

Absolutely preposterous.

These kids just raised over $12,000,000 for pediatric cancer. You’d think that maybe they deserve a day to get a little crazy and celebrate with their friends just like they do EVERY Saturday.

That’s the stuff the best college memories are made of, especially on a day that brings the whole Penn State community together, like this. By forcing students to party behind closed doors on this day, you’re actually raising the odds that a tragic incident will occur. It’s a hell of a lot more safe when everybody parties together in an open environment, I know that much.

What happened to the University that was so looked up to just a few short years ago? You’re telling me you’re not capable of handling a little logical risk management? I learned that my junior year.

Use some logic here Penn State. We Are smarter than this – let the kids play.

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Here’s the full list of the conspiracy involved dry establishments:

1. The Saloon
2. Inferno Brick Oven and Bar
3. bar bleu
4. The Hopshop Beer Market
5. The Deli Restaurant (serving food only)
6. Z Bar
7. The Lion’s Den
8. The Shandygaff
9. The Tavern (serving food only)
10. The Gingerbread Man (serving food only)
11. The All-American Rathskeller
12. Spats Café and Speakeasy (serving food only)
13. The Phyrst
14. The Clover
15. Brewsky’s Bottle Shop at The Day’s Inn Penn State
16. Rotelli (serving food only)
17. Levels
18. Bill Pickle’s Tap Room
19. Indigo
20. Allen Street Grill (serving food only)
21. The Corner Room (serving food only)
22. Zeno’s
23. Chumley’s
24. Zeno’s ToGo
25. Sharkey’s Bar & Bottle Shop
26. The Brewery
27. The Darkhorse
28. Kildare’s (serving food only)
29. Duo
30. Chili’s Grill & Bar (serving food only)
31. Café 210 West (serving food only)
32. Mad Mex (serving food only)
33. Zola New World Bistro (serving food only)
34. The Atherton Hotel (serving food only)

[via The Daily Collegian]