Business
City Sells Booze To Minor, Gets Busted
April 15, 2019 
When it comes to the business side of Boise City’s Ice World, it has been far from a slick venue.
The most recent slip on the ice came when the City-owned booze license was suspended for selling drinks to a minor. Parks director Doug Holloway confirmed the incident to the GUARDIAN when asked about it.
Holloway explained the guy who sold the beer to the minor made an “innocent mistake” when he read the birthdate requirement from a card provided by the State Police. On one side it shows the date for 18 year olds to buy cigarettes and on the other it has the date for booze sales to 21 year olds. He read the wrong side. A scanner has now replaced the human element to insure compliance with the law in the City-owned and operated “Pilots Lounge.”
The employee didn’t lose his job, but his mistake resulted in a a 10 day suspension of beer and wine sales in lieu of a $500 fine. Boise has similar booze licenses at the airport and golf courses.
We question the logic and wisdom of Boise City being in the business of selling alcoholic drinks in a facility frequented by families and juveniles. Holloway said they obtained the license in response to parents wishing to have a beer while watching their kids play hockey. BSU doesn’t sell booze at sporting events nor do local high schools where parents come to watch their kids compete.
This misstep pales when compared to some of the past shenanigans.
–Criminal charges were brought when the Canadian Mounties tipped Boise coppers that skating items and hockey sticks were being sold on E-Bay which were obviously coming from the City-owned Ice World inventory.
–Boise made headlines around the world when the GUARDIAN reported workers drove a pair of Zamboni ice grooming machines through the Burger King drive-in window late at night.
–Then there was the “strip hockey” team building exercise where Junior Steelhead players removed an article of clothing each time they missed a shot. The mother who brought her daughter in for skating lessons was not amused. Boise tried to hide the security video for “national security” reasons, but the court ordered them to release the video to the GUARDIAN. (Quality was so poor we couldn’t use it.)
–We also noted past complaints of beer cans littering the locker room.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 15, 2019, 10:42 pm
You must really hate ice rinks you curmudgeon. These instances you cite happened years ago.
Apr 16, 2019, 10:14 am
Mr.Guardian
You are wrong about BSU not selling Booze at sporting events. At football games booze is sold in the Club seats, Loge seats and in the Suites. And in times past they sold booze in the Cavin Williams.
And when you go out to the tailgates around the sporting events you can get any kind of adult beverage that you want…. most of the time free from a friend…
EDITOR NOTE–You are correct. But booze is not sold to the general fan base. Our point here is not the consumption, but rather the city owning and operating a bar in a venue that caters to young people.
Apr 16, 2019, 10:31 am
These incidents are like watching an episode of the Superstore sitcom on NBC.
Apr 16, 2019, 10:51 am
Just want to make sure to clarify that this is organization involved with the strip hockey has nothing to do with the Jr Steelheads program that is currently at Ice World. This was a completely separate program.
Personally I thought it was funny as did most people I talked to, same with the Burger King Zamboni run. Yeah, they needed to fire the employees involved, but it’s still funny.
Apr 16, 2019, 11:09 am
A “minor” of 18 drinks a beer. Oh, the horror! What officious, pseudo-moralistic posturing. Why don’t we jail someone too. Geez. Kids in Europe can order a beer in a bar at 16. I never saw an unruly, drunk or obnoxious Italian during my time there. Only drunk Americans. (Brits too) Our drinking culture here is childish. And yes – why is the City in the concessions business anyway?
EDITOR NOTE–The bar is not a concession. It is city owned and operated.
Apr 16, 2019, 11:55 am
“We question the logic and wisdom of Boise City being in the business of selling alcoholic drinks in a facility frequented by families and juveniles.”
The logic and wisdom?
So free-choice, capitalism, and American lifestyles are being challenged by the Guardian?
This post sounds more like a post from the likes of Beiter/TJ Thomson and politicos such as Mayor Bloomberg.
Perhaps, the better question is, “Why is the City of Boise in the business of a skating rink at all— competing with private enterprise?”
THAT has been a theme of the Guardian in the past related to the State competing against private business….
I for one, need a lot of alcohol before being foolish enough to jump on ice with skates. And I oppose the idea of using police resources to trap people being otherwise reasonable.
cheers!
EDITOR NOTE–Not much “capitalism” in a government-owned beer and wine bar.
Apr 16, 2019, 12:41 pm
Easterner, You apparently need to lay off the alcohol before you post such illogical comments. Perhaps you think the City should not engage in operating parks with picnic tables, soccer pitches and ball fields. Private enterprise could make that profitable by selling to any age as long as they appear “reasonable”. Let the capitalists self police and keep the harassing cops out.
Apr 17, 2019, 8:21 am
Mistakes do happen. Forgiveness is the obvious path, but difficult none the less (especially for our own actions). The deeper point is when does it become the responsibility of our city to offer alcohol? Parents won’t come if they can’t drink? The line is blurry. I’m off to the dog park. Any chance I can drink there? Better check all the rules, permits, do’s and don’ts, bring a tape measure, and be ready to pay for the privilege.
https://parks.cityofboise.org/media/3997/24876_Alcohol.pdf
“Unless otherwise posted or stated in Boise City Code,
beer and wine is permitted in most parks. All other
alcoholic beverages are not permitted, unless the
location is a licensed premise or allowed by Boise City
Code. Having more than 7.5 gallons of beer and/or wine
per person, group, or event requires a permit application
to be filled out and a fee to be paid. Alcoholic beverages
may only be possessed and consumed by someone 21
years of age and older.
The following areas are not permitted to have beer and/
or wine:
• Any street, parking lot, restroom, pathway,
playground, swimming pool, youth community
center, skate park, archery range, cemeteries, bike
skills facility, or youth sports complex.
• Bernadine Quinn Riverside Park and Quinn’s Pond
• Idaho Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park
• McAuley Park
• Pioneer Community Center
• Shoreline Park
• Boise River Greenbelt, including the area within
250 feet of the Greenbelt.
The following areas are only permitted with a beer/wine
permit and a park reservation:
• Ann Morrison Park Old Timer’s Shelter
• Boise Depot and Platt Gardens
• Boise Urban Garden School
• Borah Park
• Cecil D Andrus Park
• C.W. Moore Park
• Dick Eardley Senior Center
• Esther Simplot Park
• Idaho Ice World
• Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center
• Julia Davis Park
• Kathryn Albertson Park
• Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park
(certain sites, not all)
• Marianne Williams Park Gazebo
• Veterans Memorial Park
• Willow Lane Athletic Complex
That’s not too much to remember is it?
Apr 17, 2019, 2:35 pm
Hummm caters to young folks. I always think it is interesting that in the Skyboxes at BSU they sell ice cream that you have to be carded to buy….
Think I’m joking? STIL ice cream. Some of the flavors they card you….https://www.ilovethestil.com
Apr 20, 2019, 10:20 am
This is hysterical. Can you please put a link in the story source? I want to read about all of them. Keep up the great work. This type of story is the reason I keep coming back to your site.