Should Texas free Mavs and Stars fans from drinking restrictions?

Don’t rush to finish that drink, basketball and hockey fans.

State Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, has filed a bill to make sure you are covered at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

His House Bill 367 is geared to make sure that any fans who buy mixed drinks in the luxury boxes, for instance, don’t have to slam their drink before going to the concourse level, which isn’t covered by the same liquor license.

“This bill is to provide free transferability so individuals can move within those areas without having to dispose of their drinks,” he said.

It’s called the American Airlines Center bill.

Two years ago, a bill did the same thing for fans at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

In 2013, Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, and Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, carried a measure to help out fans at the Rangers ballpark who were being barred from buying an alcoholic beverage in one permitted area and taking it to other areas, even if alcohol is allowed there.

“This regulatory constraint serves no public purpose, but unintentionally encourages binge drinking that may lead to unsafe conditions for fans, event attendees, and the general public,” a bill analysis at the time said.

Gov. Rick Perry signed House Bill 893, which lets fans with alcoholic drinks move around in the ballpark.

​Mixing drinks

At the American Airlines Center, home to the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, different types of alcohol may be bought in different parts of the multipurpose Victory Park arena.

In luxury boxes, mixed drinks are sold because that area has a spirits license. On the concourse levels, beer and wine are sold because that area has a different alcohol license.

“It has been a problem since we opened the building in 2001,” general manager Dave Brown said. “It’s hard to explain to our guests why they can’t move from one part of the building to another with a drink.”

For instance, if customers buy a beer when they walk into the building, and their seats are in a different part of the building, sometimes they can’t take their drink.

So the center gives fans a choice: They can return the beer and get a refund, throw it away or finish it before moving to their seats, Brown said.

“It’s very inconvenient and confusing for our guests,” he said. “If you are in a suite at a show and you want to buy a T-shirt on the Plaza Level, you can’t take your drink down to the Plaza Level.

“And if you buy that T-shirt — and a beer — you can’t take that beer up to the plaza.”

‘A better experience’

Brown said center officials asked Villalba to carry the bill after seeing the success of the Texas Rangers bill.

“This is something we feel will create a better experience for our guests,” he said.

Villalba, who frequents the building, was aware of the problem.

“If you are carrying your gin and tonic from the luxury boxes to the concourse level, you end up drinking it much too quickly so you don’t lose it,” Villalba said.

“This bill is popular,” he said. “It passed overwhelmingly last session for the Rangers. I don’t sense there will be any pushback on it. We are confident this bill will get to the governor’s desk.”

This story was originally published February 28, 2015 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Should Texas free Mavs and Stars fans from drinking restrictions?."