KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Alcohol sales at Neyland Stadium will continue next season after a lengthy saga in which the City of Knoxville sought stiffer penalties against vendor Aramark for underage sales at Tennessee football games.
Documents detailing the case dismissal with prejudice were filed with the City of Knoxville Beer Board on Tuesday. As part of the agreement reached with the city, Aramark must meet certain conditions, pay another fine and make a sizeable donation to Knoxville-based nonprofit Metro Drug Coalition.
Aramark had faced citations for underage alcohol sales in September and October of last year when the city filed the complaint against the vendor seeking a temporary suspension of Aramark’s permit at Neyland Stadium on the University of Tennessee campus. Due to the multiple citations, Aramark’s beer sales permit was at risk for revocation.
The vendor had also previously faced fines for underage alcohol sales at a Garth Brooks concert at Neyland Stadium in 2019.
Now, with a settlement reached, Aramark has agreed to conditions before the next football season this fall such as training new employees plus re-training all current employees with regard to dispensing and serving beer; only Aramark employees checking identifications showing the customer is 21 years of age or older; paying $5,200 of fines and administrative costs; and making a voluntary $30,000 donation to Metro Drug Coalition.
The $30,000 donation to MDC, according to the documents, “shall be used by MDC to support and enhance the services MDC provides to the City of Knoxville community to prevent the distribution or sale of alcohol to underage persons.”
The deadline for Aramark to pay the fees and make the donation to MDC is April 1.
The agreement also notes that if the permittee (Aramark) has any future violation of Chapter 4 of the City Code, the violation will be treated as a first violation. Failure to comply with the agreed-upon terms would result in the agreement being terminated and the matter being referred to the hearing officer for further proceedings.
With the compromise made, the outstanding allegations are withdrawn and the case is dismissed.
