Tailgating returns to UI football games

Football fans at the University of Idaho will officially be allowed to tailgate after the State Board of Education approved an alcohol permit for 2018 home football games Thursday.

The permit also covers post-season home games and the spring 2019 football scrimmage.

In October, the state board approved policy changes that permitted alcohol under specific circumstances at NCAA athletic events on university campuses as long as prior board approval was granted.

UI officials jumped on the chance to get tailgating approved.

Tailgating has been common practice at the school, but until last year, it was prohibited by official board policy.

Approved tailgating areas where alcohol consumption will be allowed include parking lots 34, 57, 57E and 110, all near the Kibbie Dome.

The university will need to submit a post-season report to the board.

The move was approved with a 3-2 vote during the second day of the state board's meeting at the College of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls. Board members Andrew Scoggin and Richard Westerberg opposed the move. Proposals to allow tailgating at Boise State University and Idaho State University were postponed until a future meeting.

"We're appointed as the State Board of Education, yet it seems every year we become the state board of alcohol licensing," Scoggin said, speaking in opposition to the move. "We spend an inordinate amount of time not spending time focused on educating kids in the state in these meetings, but on adult entertainment of nonstudents. And so I do think we are absolutely redirecting resources too much and have to come back and expand every year how much more alcohol can be consumed to have those parties. It's not education."

Westerberg said serving alcohol does not help an institution achieve its mission or increase ticket sales.

"To increase alcohol availability and consumption, you also increase the opportunity for there to be some kind of negative public safety incident," he said.

The state board also approved alcohol service for 2018 home football games at pre-game events and for home football and basketball games in suite club seating.

The state board also took action on the following UI requests:

• A proposal to allow UI to acquire an orchard with more than 60 heirloom apple varieties on a 48-acre property near Sandpoint was unanimously approved. The land is appraised at $3.4 million, but the owner is willing to sell it to UI for $2.2 million. The purchase of the property would allow the school to strengthen its presence in northern Idaho, officials said. University officials plan to establish the Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center "to deliver additional outreach and educational programs in organic and sustainable agriculture production and business."
• The board approved $650,000 for the planning and design phase of a seed potato plant breeding facility in Moscow. The total cost of the building is estimated at $5.5 million. The university is contemplating a standalone facility. Currently, an existing seed potato facility is located on the fourth floor of the Agricultural Science building, but the space is small and poses a risk of transmission of potato diseases because the two specialties are located in the same building. The motion was approved with a 4-0 vote. Board member Emma Atchley - whose Flying A Ranch near Ashton, Idaho, produces seed potatoes - recused herself from the vote.
• The board unanimously approved the transfer of funds from UI to the UI Foundation, specifically $10 million from the Idaho Central Credit Union for the school's new athletic arena, with no discussion.

Justyna Tomtas may be contacted at jtomtas@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2294.