Business
La Crosse city leaders grant liquor permit for outdoor event, but still have questions about underage access to alcohol
Worries about underage drinking at special outdoor events in La Crosse are being addressed by city council members.
The council judiciary committee has granted permission to a La Crosse tavern, Bennett O’Riley’s, to expand its liquor license to outdoor sales this month for a June event. City clerk Nikki Elsen says there are certain regulations that apply to outdoor gatherings in the summer where alcohol is served.
“They are required to provide a rigid snow-type fence surrounding that area,” Elsen told the committee on Tuesday. “They are also required then to have persons monitoring the entrances for underage participants, making sure that they’re not consuming alcohol.” The council has investigated complaints this year about underage customers being served alcohol at some La Crosse bars.
Police Chief Shawn Kudron says his department also works with sponsors of events, to avoid serving alcohol to young people not old enough to legally drink. Kudron says the license holders have to be watchful to avoid problems.
“We know that there can be, at different times and different places, this consistent effort of people who are underage to kind of pass that barrier and consume alcohol in these places,” said Kudron. “But we want to work with these businesses so that they’re on the right side of that, that they can be in compliance.”
The application for a specific event on June 28th at Mormon Coulee Road was approved in committee, and goes to the full city council next week.
Badgerette Rocker
June 5, 2025 at 5:08 am
Once ID s are checked, wristbands can be used. Bartenders check the wristbands, if they look like they are tampered, IDs are rechecked.
Limits on purchase of beverages (e.g. 2 oer person) If more than 2 (those people need to come to the bar for checking).
Hire people to patrol through the crowd, if someone looks underage, check the wristband, if it looks tampered, re-check ID.
Hare a designated driver program, offer 2 free sodas fir those who participate.
Use one color of wristbands for alcohol and one forsoda. Do not announce colors prior to event, we had people order wristbands online of the alcohol colors. We were able to determine the fake ones because they did not get them from the same company.