Sorry Kids, IC bars to stay 21

[wxman1]

Always thought bars were safer than house parties. As a safety issue much better to have them in a more controlled (its relative obviously) environment at a bar than at a house party where there can be almost zero control. The worst situations with alcohol (the ones where someone was chugging everclear and whatnot) always seem to come out of house parties.

I would partially agree. First and foremost I would be fine with them being in the bars as long as laws are followed. Fine be there but no drinking if your under 21, just because it's safer to do it there doesn't make it legal. I have also been to many house parties here at ISU and everyone looks out for each other. Sure there are some problems but I have never felt more "unsafe" than I do in campustown. Mostly because if there are problems the party isn't going to last long so people look out for one another.

 

[Cytom5]

Good IC sucks anyways along with the Suckeyes

 

[alarson]

I would partially agree. First and foremost I would be fine with them being in the bars as long as laws are followed. Fine be there but no drinking if your under 21, just because it's safer to do it there doesn't make it legal. I have also been to many house parties here at ISU and everyone looks out for each other. Sure there are some problems but I have never felt more "unsafe" than I do in campustown. Mostly because if there are problems the party isn't going to last long so people look out for one another.

As long as the federal government is pushing a law onto the states that many states didnt want but were held hostage via highway money, i will have no problem with local jurisdictions looking the other way on the 21 law.

I dont think its a matter of 'feeling unsafe'... its that stuff can tend to get more out of control at house parties than bars..

 

[ISUboi12]

I have heard the owner of Vitos and Summit will close those bars down. Too bad, cause those were some fun places. It is strange that with the ordinance in place bars can no longer sustain profit. Obviously proves the tremendous amount of money generated by selling alcohol to minors.

I am torn on the ordinance, I didn't vote either way because it does not personally affect me. Of course there will always be ways around this; dance clubs will pop up and narcotics may become more of a problem.

I actually feel like the only people who had a right to vote against this is the student body and law enforcement. Probably just a lot of fun haters. If you are over thirty and live downtown that is your own fault. During my time at ISU I fondly remember random trips to Iowa City bars. It is too bad they couldn't compromise with higher regulation.

 

[Mr Janny]

I have heard the owner of Vitos and Summit will close those bars down. Too bad, cause those were some fun places. It is strange that with the ordinance in place bars can no longer sustain profit. Obviously proves the tremendous amount of money generated by selling alcohol to minors.

I am torn on the ordinance, I didn't vote either way because it does not personally affect me. Of course there will always be ways around this; dance clubs will pop up and narcotics may become more of a problem.

I actually feel like the only people who had a right to vote against this is the student body and law enforcement. Probably just a lot of fun haters. If you are over thirty and live downtown that is your own fault. During my time at ISU I fondly remember random trips to Iowa City bars. It is too bad they couldn't compromise with higher regulation.

I agree with some of what you say, but not the narcotics angle. Ames doesn't allow minors in bars. Does Ames have a higher degree of narcotics use than Iowa City?

You are absolutely correct about the closing of bars proving that a large part of their profits came from selling to minors. I mean, theoretically, they weren't selling to these kids anyway, because it's illegal. So, are they claiming the drop in profits comes from lost revenue from cover charges? What a joke. Those business owners know good and well, they were selling to minors. They were counting on it. Any 19-20 year old can tell you how easy it was to get served at those places. It required no effort at all.

 

[CysRage]

Wow, the students are melting down over this. All of my friends that go to Iowa have a very negative facebook status right now. Check out this facebook group that was made. Login | Facebook

 

[Al_4_State]

Always thought bars were safer than house parties. As a safety issue much better to have them in a more controlled (its relative obviously) environment at a bar than at a house party where there can be almost zero control. The worst situations with alcohol (the ones where someone was chugging everclear and whatnot) always seem to come out of house parties.

I agree with this totally. We went to the bars in Iowa City about once a semester in college, and I never saw anything that got quite as wild as some of the house parties in Ames. Due to everything being funneled into a small area, the enforcement was probably easier. At house parties, there's not usually anyone keeping the order in any way shape or form. Anything goes, and raising the level of insanity is encouraged.

That said, I'll get a chuckle out of the douchy bars closing. The good bars in Iowa City are the ones that are 21+

 

[Detasseler]

I am torn on this issue as well. I loved going down to Iowa City when I was underage, but now anymore those places that allowed underagers (Scummit and Fieldhouse) are just a glorified version of Sips or Element and to me are just another bar. I wish kids could have a good time like my friends and I did when under 21, but there is a bright side.

Iowa loses a recruiting tool. You can't tell me big time athletes didn't choose between Iowa and say a different Big Ten school because of the nightlife. Also, it will be nice to see the U's enrollment drop, considerably from the Chicago/northern Illinois area.

In a way, it's good for Iowa State.

 

[Al_4_State]

I am torn on this issue as well. I loved going down to Iowa City when I was underage, but now anymore those places that allowed underagers (Scummit and Fieldhouse) are just a glorified version of Sips or Element and to me are just another bar. I wish kids could have a good time like my friends and I did when under 21, but there is a bright side.

Iowa loses a recruiting tool. You can't tell me big time athletes didn't choose between Iowa and say a different Big Ten school because of the nightlife. Also, it will be nice to see the U's enrollment drop, considerably from the Chicago/northern Illinois area.

In a way, it's good for Iowa State.

You're joking right? Iowa City is one of the smaller Big 10 cities. It might beat out West Lafayette, IN and Champaign, IL, but they're still competing against places like Madison, Columbus, Minneapolis. Minneapolis's night life blows Iowa City out of the water.

Iowa City has (had?) a bunch of bars you could get into underage. If you're an athlete, it doesn't really matter, as you'll get in underage at any school.

 

[Clonefan32]

I've been downtown a few times since the under 21 ordinance and the ped-mall is dead compared to what it used to be. It's kind of funny to realize how many 18 year olds were running around the place. This is going to drive alot of bars out of business-- just last week we stopped by Vito's on a Thursday at about 10:00 and there were literally 11 people in there.

 

[HerkyKiller]

That's probably why people go to EIU for school (not for the education).

 

[MNCyGuy]

You're joking right? Iowa City is one of the smaller Big 10 cities. It might beat out West Lafayette, IN and Champaign, IL, but they're still competing against places like Madison, Columbus, Minneapolis. Minneapolis's night life blows Iowa City out of the water.

Iowa City has (had?) a bunch of bars you could get into underage. If you're an athlete, it doesn't really matter, as you'll get in underage at any school.

Shoot, if you're an athlete even considering Minnesota you can get into a strip club underage before you're even enrolled.

 

[JP4CY]

That's probably why people go to EIU for school (not for the education).

No it's because they can't get in to Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, or Notre Dame-the big schools around Chicago. That is why Iowa has a lot of Chicago-ites.

 

[iahawkhunter]

No it's because they can't get in to Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, or Notre Dame-the big schools around Chicago. That is why Iowa has a lot of Chicago-ites.

Well put!

Plus, the students that go to EIU for real education are all in the graduate programs and not affected by this bar-age issue.

 

[Gorm]

Finally this issue will be put to bed. What your not hearing about is the business owners that enjoy the law as it makes it easier for their staff to serve beverages inside the bars rather than having to ID everyone...every time. Too many of age people were buying the underage people drinks, it was done quite easily, and most business owners knew it, and were profiting from it. They budgeted on those numbers, and now that they are gone, they are ******.

 

[CloneIce]

I'm torn on this one.

As a Cyclone fan, I am glad because the Under-21 bars give Iowa a recruiting advantage over ISU.

As a person, I am sad, as this is just another fun party area ruined by more rules and restrictions. Another victory for the fun-haters. I had a blast at the IC bars when I was in school, its a shame to see them changed.

 

[CloneIce]

Finally this issue will be put to bed. What your not hearing about is the business owners that enjoy the law as it makes it easier for their staff to serve beverages inside the bars rather than having to ID everyone...every time. Too many of age people were buying the underage people drinks, it was done quite easily, and most business owners knew it, and were profiting from it. They budgeted on those numbers, and now that they are gone, they are ******.

Your not hearing about that... because the business owners stand to lose a ton of money as a result of this law, and probably some businesses will even shut down because of it.

 

[Gorm]

Your not hearing about that... because the business owners stand to lose a ton of money as a result of this law, and probably some businesses will even shut down because of it.

I have no doubt they will lose money. People 21 and above bought the 19 and 20 year kids drinks all the time. That is money they will no longer get. Personally, I consider that dirty money and since the business owners knew it was going on and ran budgets on that fact, then they deserve to take the hit.

Ames has a 21 or older law and it seems like there are plenty of establishments going along just fine.

 

[CloneIce]

I have no doubt they will lose money. People 21 and above bought the 19 and 20 year kids drinks all the time. That is money they will no longer get. Personally, I consider that dirty money and since the business owners knew it was going on and ran budgets on that fact, then they deserve to take the hit.

Ames has a 21 or older law and it seems like there are plenty of establishments going along just fine.

Not only that, but I think they will probably lose a ton of money from cover charges. Most of these bars charge 5 or 10 for cover, and that is pure profit. Each night many 19 & 20 year olds show up to dance after pre-partying, some buying alcohol also.

I disagree with your last statement though. I guess they are doing alright but the Ames bar scene is pretty weak for a major University, bunch of run-down old buildings in campus town that smell like ****. Alot of fun of course when your in school but not an impressive bar scene for a major college town like that.

 

[CycloneYoda]

There are many establishments in DT IC that I enjoy frequenting. Good food and drinks. The places that will go under have neither of these. No more Paramount rum shots out of a small plastic shot glass. The food in some of these places is horrible at best. These spaces will not stay unoccupied forever.


This isn't about "fun-hating." It's about irresponsible owners who continually failed in providing a safe compromise. All they did was fight it instead of work towards a solution. Instead of throwing money towards the fight, they could have used it for renovations that meet the fire safety codes. They could have paid people some extra $$$ to actually do their job instead of looking the other way. They chose not to change, and now they will lose their business due to their greed and arrogance.