City restricts liquor sales for Final Four

Alcohol sales will be restricted in Campustown starting Saturday to prevent possible violence related to the Final Four basketball game, said Champaign Mayor Gerald Schweighart Tuesday night.

The restrictions will begin 6 a.m. Saturday and would last through that night. If the Illini advance to the NCAA National Championship game on Monday, the same restrictions on alcohol sales would begin at 6 a.m. that day and would last until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

“I think that our fans are of the quality (that) we won’t have problems, but these are the kind of steps that people will criticize you for not taking if something happens,” Schweighart said.

Under the provision, bars would not be able to sell alcohol from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday. Also, bars and restaurants will be required to serve alcohol in paper or plastic cups. Stores will be prohibited from selling alcoholic beverages in containers smaller than a 750 mL (a “fifth”-sized) glass or aluminum container the entire day.

Stores throughout the city will not be allowed to sell more than one keg of beer to any customer.

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Bars and liquor retailers in downtown Champaign are not currently included in the restrictions. However, the city could add other areas of Champaign.

The restrictions apply to bars and stores that sell alcohol within the borders of Springfield Avenue on the north, Wright Street on the east and Kirby Avenue on the south. The western border will be First Street between Kirby Avenue and John Street and Neil Street between John Street and Springfield Avenue.

Schweighart and Urbana Mayor Tod Satterthwaite were granted power by their respective city councils to place limitations on the sales of alcohol to prevent potential riots in recent weeks.

Satterthwaite said Urbana would examine Champaign’s proposals and would likely make an announcement regarding liquor restrictions today or Thursday. He said Urbana has few bars in the campus area, so most Urbana businesses would not be affected. Urbana has no laws regarding keg sales.

University spokeswoman Robin Kaler welcomed Schweighart’s announcement.

“We’ve been working very hard with the city for many months to make sure the folks in the community celebrate responsibly,” she said.

Kaler said the majority of the people involved in celebratory violence were not students at the schools where the riots after sporting events have occurred. She said the special rules would protect students.

But Schweighart issued a warning to students against destructive behavior.

“They have to remember they’re here at the University and they can be removed from the University. And that’s something the University said they would do,” Schweighart said.