Tivoli, auditorium concessions need changes
0 Comments | Chattanooga Times Free Press, Jul 23, 2010
The issue of selling alcohol, and improving concessions sales overall, at the Tivoli and Memorial Auditorium is not new. The current mayor and the city council, to their credit, have finally after all these years come up with some excuses for opposing it that at least make a little bit of sense.
For so long, the folks in charge have reminded me of Dan Aykroyd’s Irwin Mainway character on “Saturday Night Live.” He’s the guy you’ll remember who defended the selling of such “toys” as Johnny Switchblade: Adventure Punk and Bag o’ Glass by arguing that traditionally “safe” toys can be harmful. Wooden alphabet blocks could give a child splinters, and a foam play ball could find its way into a child’s mouth.
These things could indeed happen.
Just as patrons to the city-owned venues could get liquored up and tear up the seats, pour their drinks onto the floors, sneak in flasks filled with booze and, as one former official said years ago, “spill their sloppy Joes all over the place.”
Some of that stuff does happen at venues that serve concessions, even ones that don’t sell alcohol.
Several weeks ago, the mayor said that the city simply doesn’t want or need to be in the alcohol-selling business and that he worries about the liability.
Well OK, that makes sense.
Yes, alcohol is sold at city-owned facilities and venues, including the Tivoli on occasion, but on those occasions some other group gets the liquor license and assumes the responsibility.
Some folks who argue all the horrible things that “will” happen if alcohol is served seem to forget that not serving alcohol doesn’t mean that patrons are stone-cold sober when they watch a show at either facility. I was reminded of a Kenny Wayne Shepherd concert at the Tivoli where an overserved fan did in fact dial in a “clean-up in row J” right behind me. He didn’t buy his liquor there.
Back when it was getting regular concerts, part of the fun at shows in McKenzie Arena was identifying the fan who would never hear the first note of the headliner. There was always one. He’d started pregaming well before the show. Once inside, he was the guy playing his air guitar and trying to get the crowd to do the wave
memory foam
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