Plan to admit underage patrons unclear
Sam Taute
Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: News
More than a month since the Prince George's County liquor board gave Santa Fe Café owner Mark Srour the OK to open his downtown bar's doors to 18-year-olds, it remains unclear what the ruling will actually mean.
When Srour first pitched the idea to allow underage students into the bar - even if not to drink - he said the measure would give 18-year-olds a chance to have fun in the alcohol-centric downtown party scene. But members of the College Park City Council have sharply criticized the proposal, saying students would find ways around the rules.
So far, Srour has only once officially allowed 18-year-olds to enter the bar. At a April 7 charity event, liquor board supervisors watched as bouncers distinguished underage students by marking black X's on their hands, while giving 21-year-olds wristbands. Srour said the measure was effective in preventing underage drinking.
"The liquor board showed up and did their job, and everything went real well," Srour said.
Some council members, however, are suspicious that Srour's diligence in preventing underage drinking will ebb once the liquor board's gaze becomes focused elsewhere.
"The proof is in the pudding," said District 2 Councilman Jack Perry. "When your father's watching you, you do everything right. Let's see what happens when the father isn't watching."
Students say marking underage people with X's provides only a flimsy defense against underage drinking.
"I've heard kids can just wash it off," freshman finance major Peter Grella said.
And some students contested underage adults drink regularly at Santa Fe on nights the bar holds ticketed events that are different from its designated underage nights.
"I got let in [to Santa Fe] because I had a ticket, even though my ID clearly said that I wasn't 21 yet," said a student who wished to remain anonymous because she is underage and drinks.
But District 2 City Councilman Bob Catlin said he hasn't heard any complaints.
"The plan was that [Srour] should try it for the rest of the semester on a trial basis, and I don't think anything has changed since then," Catlin said. "I haven't heard anything negative about it [from the liquor board] so far."
Although the city council has no real leverage to tell Srour how to run his bar, members' opinions are often influential when the county liquor board does its annual review of the bar's liquor license. For now, the city council is content to allow Srour to try out his plan for a few months before revisiting the issue in June, Catlin said.
Srour said Santa Fe will likely host one more underage event before the end of the semester, but he said he has no concrete plans for admitting underage patrons in the future.
"My crystal ball is still in the shop," he said, although he was adamant that it has never been his plan to make allowing underage patrons into the bar a general policy.
newsdesk@dbk.umd.edu
When Srour first pitched the idea to allow underage students into the bar - even if not to drink - he said the measure would give 18-year-olds a chance to have fun in the alcohol-centric downtown party scene. But members of the College Park City Council have sharply criticized the proposal, saying students would find ways around the rules.
So far, Srour has only once officially allowed 18-year-olds to enter the bar. At a April 7 charity event, liquor board supervisors watched as bouncers distinguished underage students by marking black X's on their hands, while giving 21-year-olds wristbands. Srour said the measure was effective in preventing underage drinking.
"The liquor board showed up and did their job, and everything went real well," Srour said.
Some council members, however, are suspicious that Srour's diligence in preventing underage drinking will ebb once the liquor board's gaze becomes focused elsewhere.
"The proof is in the pudding," said District 2 Councilman Jack Perry. "When your father's watching you, you do everything right. Let's see what happens when the father isn't watching."
Students say marking underage people with X's provides only a flimsy defense against underage drinking.
"I've heard kids can just wash it off," freshman finance major Peter Grella said.
And some students contested underage adults drink regularly at Santa Fe on nights the bar holds ticketed events that are different from its designated underage nights.
"I got let in [to Santa Fe] because I had a ticket, even though my ID clearly said that I wasn't 21 yet," said a student who wished to remain anonymous because she is underage and drinks.
But District 2 City Councilman Bob Catlin said he hasn't heard any complaints.
"The plan was that [Srour] should try it for the rest of the semester on a trial basis, and I don't think anything has changed since then," Catlin said. "I haven't heard anything negative about it [from the liquor board] so far."
Although the city council has no real leverage to tell Srour how to run his bar, members' opinions are often influential when the county liquor board does its annual review of the bar's liquor license. For now, the city council is content to allow Srour to try out his plan for a few months before revisiting the issue in June, Catlin said.
Srour said Santa Fe will likely host one more underage event before the end of the semester, but he said he has no concrete plans for admitting underage patrons in the future.
"My crystal ball is still in the shop," he said, although he was adamant that it has never been his plan to make allowing underage patrons into the bar a general policy.
newsdesk@dbk.umd.edu
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