New tailgating procedures at Central Michigan University will include a limit of six beers or one plastic pint of alcohol per person and prohibits external speaker systems.

A committee made up of students, administrators, faculty and police performed a comprehensive review of the entire process, adjusted tailgating procedures and defined current policies through the spring and summer, said Senior Associate Athletic Director Derek van der Merwe.

In July, Director of Public Relations Steve Smith said the limitations on alcohol would be difficult to enforce. Athletics Director Dave Heeke said security will be looking at what people bring into the lot.

New Procedures • Limit of six beers or one pint per person • No external sound systems • Parking passes required • Enter checkpoints for pedestrians and vehicles • Countdown clock and siren to announce kickoff

“We hope students will be responsible,” Heeke said.

The student tailgating lot, 63, was more than doubled and vehicles will be broken up and dispersed throughout. To increase safety, cement barriers will maintain an emergency lane at all times.

“The injury rate increased last year, which demanded emergency response,” Heeke said.

In order to enter lot 63, vehicles must have parking passes which can be purchased at the Athletic Ticket Office for $6 prior to game day and $10 on game day.

Heeke said there are between 350 and 400 passes available.

“We encourage students to buy them in advance,” he said.

Entry points look significantly different and tailgating will have a larger presence of security personnel; state, county, city and campus police for crowd control, Heeke said.

Vehicles will enter and exit at two points in the lot, and students walking to tailgate will have to pass through five to six pedestrian checkpoints.

Security at the entrance checkpoints will look and see what students and vehicles are carrying into the lot, said CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley.

Vehicles must remain in the lot until the start of the third quarter to halt a continual flow in and out of the lot. Heeke said there also will be a quicker push to get students out of the lot once the games begin.

Student Responsibility

In enforcing the new procedures, Yeagley hopes students will understand what is expected of them.

“Part of our plan is making sure everyone knows the rules before they get there,” he said.

If police see violations, people are subject to being asked to leave, he said.

“Our hope is that people make good decisions. I don’t anticipate in any way these rules making more problems,” Yeagley said.

In addition to heightened security, Heeke said the committee looked at ways to maintain and improve the game day environment.

In tents spread throughout the lot, there will be four food vendors stationed throughout lot 63 at CMU’s first home football game Sept. 19 against Alcorn State, including ARAMARK and three local vendors.

There also will be a countdown clock to kickoff and a siren to signal the start of the game.

“We didn’t want to lose the atmosphere,” Heeke said. “We have one of the best game day atmospheres in the (Mid-American Conference).”

Increased family parking will be available in lots 73, 72, 71, 70 and 61, Van Der Merwe said. Student overflow will be in lot 59 near Broomfield Road.