ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Should alcohol be allowed at a performing arts center located on school grounds? It’s been a topic of discussion for Ashwaubenon’s school board for the last several months.
The district’s performing arts center, or PAC, is a joint venture with the village.
It hosts about 20 events a year that don’t involve students.
Kate Green, the PAC’s executive director, tells FOX 11 people at those events have consistently asked whether they could buy beer or wine.
“Every single show (last year), but one, which was a family event, every single show it was a request whether we had some sort of bar service.”
The facility’s community advisory board has researched the request for the last year. It found 10 venues in the state operate on a similar community-school partnership. Four of those have a separate entrance, like Ashwaubenon, where you don’t have to go into the school, and they all sell alcohol.
Green says any alcohol sales at the PAC would have restrictions.
“We would never have alcohol stored on-site at the performing arts center. We would have an outside contractor come in and provide that beverage service, bring the beverages to the site, remove the beverages at the end of the evening, including the trash.”
Green says numbers for potential revenue from alcohol sales have not been discussed.
“Our school district needs to be a safe haven for our 3,200 students from tobacco, drugs, and alcohol,” said Kurt Weyers, the district’s superintendent, who says he is against the idea.
Most school board members, like Michelle Garrigan, say they’re against selling alcohol on school grounds and were prepared to vote the proposal down at their meeting Wednesday night.
“To me, it’s sending the wrong message that alcohol would enhance the experience.”
Before a vote was taken, a few people, including one board member, said many people assumed the village would have a say too.
“It’s a little concerning, a little bit more than concerning, that the facility is shared between two parties, but only one party is represented here tonight,” said Lissa Marth, the chair of the PAC’s advisory board.
In the end, a majority of the board agreed. Superintendent Kurt Weyers says he’ll call village leadership to set the meeting up.
The Ashwaubenon Performing Arts Center opened in 2016. It seats 736 people.
