Campus guild sponsors nightclub

Author: Mike West

Students and staff met Monday night to propose the establishment of a student-run, on-campus bar or nightclub. The proposed bar would be located in the Hamlin dining hall, which composes the unused half of the Freeman International Center.

The creation of a bar on College premises would be relatively easy, according to Ted Parker '08, president of the Middlebury Musicians Guild, which is responsible for spearheading the recent push.

"Freeman Dining Hall already has a liquor license, which means that the hardest part of creating an on campus bar is already done for us," Parker said. He also addressed fears that the new bar would supplant other existing social venues at the College.

"We're building it for mid-sized events that are too big for the Gamut room, and too small for McCullough," said Parker.

The facility would accommodate a maximum of 200 people, according to Director of Dining Services Matthew Biette, and would initially be open on Fridays and Saturdays so as not to conflict with the Middlebury College Activities Board's (MCAB) weekly Pub Night on Thursdays.

Doug Adams, the director of the Center for Campus Activities and Leadership (CCAL), pointed out that the Juice Bar, located in McCullough Student Center, was the College's initial attempt at a campus bar, but that students felt it "too institutional." Adams suggested, as a solution to the issue, that the new bar be mostly student-run. This would mean student bartenders, student wait staff and, possibly, student bouncers.

Biette presided over much of the meeting by discussing the various logistical and legal aspects of the proposal. According to Biette, alcohol consumption will be limited to people 21 years of age or older, and that those working will not be allowed to drink.

"This will require a verification process at the door," said Biette, "that will require patrons to present some sort of government-issued ID." Those under 21 will be allowed entrance, but they will not be served alcohol.

After a student questioned the possible use of fake IDs, Biette said that "after opening, the Department of Liquor Control (DLC) will probably come every night [initially], and it will be the bouncer and bartender's responsibility not to serve underage patrons."

Biette continued to describe some of the challenges he expects the students will face as they get the bar off the ground.

"Students can't get drunk there," Biette said, "and it will be up to the servers not to serve those who have become overly intoxicated."

Biette also said that the "two-holer," or the two unisex bathrooms on the bar floor, could pose a problem because of the more frequent use of bathrooms in bars.

Biette also said that though the bar will serve beer and wine, hard liquor would not be available.

"This is because the college is trying to go away from liquor," said Biette, "and a lot of people just can't handle it. Also, the potential is there for it to get messy."

Though some students mentioned that serving hard liquor would differentiate this bar from The Juice Bar, Biette said that "music is the attractor, alcohol is secondary."

WRMC Musical Director Jordan Nassar '08, in response to the long discussion about the logistics of serving alcohol said, "It's all about the music, and being loud."

According to Biette, however, loudness is not a problem, because the Hamlin dining room is equipped with one-and-a-half-foot thick cement walls, and is not facing any houses.

"We could have our first party in two weeks," said Parker. "It's just a matter of pulling it all together."