The Associated Students of Madison held its recruitment meeting for the spring semester, anchored by discussions of the semester-long goal of encouraging bar owners to purchase the Performing Arts License to allow 18 to 20-year-olds into bars.
'The Performing Arts, at an annual cost of $250 per establishment, would allow 18 to 20-year-olds into bars as long as the bar has at least 200 square feet of dance space and a DJ or a live performer is featured,' ASM chair and UW-Madison senior Eric Varney said.
'A few semesters ago [ASM] got the City Council to allow 18 to 20-year-olds in bars,' Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee and UW-Madison sophomore Gestina Sewell said, 'Only about one or two bars have picked it up.'
As ASM's semester-long project commences, the group will begin by talking to local bars that have already purchased the Performing Arts License.
'We want to talk to [Madison Avenue] since they have a license, to see how their business is and how they're profiting,' intern to ASM Vice Chair and UW-Madison freshman Rebecca Robinson said. 'If they are profiting, then maybe we can help convince other bars to buy a license.'
Members of ASM anticipate possible areas of contention between proponents and bar owners.
'We think some of the problems are that they think since 18 to 20-year-olds can't buy alcohol, that they wouldn't make the same amount of money that they would have.' Sewell said, 'We need to convince them that they will make their $250 back.'
During the upcoming semester, members of the special forces committee of ASM will be working to diminish the fears of Madison bar owners.
'We're aware that there are a lot of security concerns with bars and we're willing to work really hard to meet with the bar owners?? so we can come up with the best solution,' Vice Chair of ASM and UW-Madison junior Dylan Rath said.
ASM foresees that an increased number of Performing Arts Licenses would positively affect students, bar owners and law enforcement.
According to Rath, more bars allowing under-age admittance will mean a decrease in house parties, along with a reduction of fake identifications and drinking tickets.
'There's a number of students under 21 who want to go an d enjoy live music at the bars with their friends who are older,' Rath said.
