ALRC approves limited alcohol sales outside Breese Stevens Field for concerts with conditions

The Alcohol License Review Committee on April 16 approved a change of license premises for Big Top Events LLC, doing business as Breese Stevens Field, to allow alcohol sales in a small plaza outside Gate 1 for concerts, subject to conditions requiring other city approvals and time limits.

The committee voted to allow alcohol sales in the expanded outdoor area only for concert nights and only if the applicant obtains all required city approvals, including an amended street use permit; sales may begin up to two hours before gates open and must cease once the concert ingress begins. The motion was offered by Alder Figueroa Cole and was adopted without objection.

Applicant Tristan Straub told the committee the change is intended to “create a safer, cleaner sort of environment” outside Gate 1 by stationing security at barricades, preserving bike lanes and consolidating queuing areas. Straub said the proposed sales points would be small, mobile kiosks and that sales in the expanded area would be limited to pre-concert periods; the applicant also described moving the gate line roughly 7–8 feet to keep most bicycle parking unobstructed.

Assistant City Attorney McReynolds told the committee its legal role is limited: the ALRC may decide only whether alcohol may be allowed in a particular area, not whether the venue may expand into a public plaza or close a street. McReynolds recommended attaching conditions that make ALRC approval contingent on any other required city permissions. Captain Hartman of the Madison Police Department said he had no immediate objections and advised the committee that allowing sales to begin two hours before gates open would be appropriate for public-safety staffing.

Committee members pressed the applicant on neighborhood outreach and whether parks approval would be needed for the plaza. Alder Alden Revere read an email from Parks staff indicating the venue’s existing use agreement “permits the sale of alcohol at the park, which covers the whole block,” but McReynolds noted that Parks’ legal counsel had taken a different view and additional written approval from Parks’ legal counsel or the Board of Park Commissioners could be required before the area is used commercially.

The conditions the committee attached are: (1) sales outside Breese Stevens Field walls are allowed only if all required city approvals are completed and approved, including any street use permit amendment; (2) sales outside the stadium are allowed for concerts only; (3) sales may begin up to two hours before gates open for a concert and must cease once the concert begins. Tristan Straub accepted the conditions on the record and the committee adopted the motion without objection.

The committee recorded no roll-call vote; the outcome was adoption by unanimous consent among members present.

The change applies only to concert nights when the venue has a valid street use permit or other city approvals to occupy the plaza/street area; any use of the space for non-concert events or without the required permits would not be authorized by this ALRC action.

Why it matters: the change affects the public right-of-way, bike and pedestrian access near Gate 1 and requires coordination among multiple city functions (street use, parks, police). The committee’s conditions make ALRC approval dependent on those other city approvals rather than attempting to resolve them in this licensing action.