Tailgating ban set for acts that draw younger crowd Public forum set for March 18 on underage drinking at arts center BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer HOLMDEL- Consumption of alcohol while tailgating at the PNC Bank Arts Center will be limited to older crowds during this summer's concert series. According to Joe Orlando, spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which owns and operates the PNC Bank Arts Center, tailgating will be completely prohibited at shows that have historically drawn younger crowds. "They will be asked to park their cars and go to the concert," Orlando said. "We don't want kids to have the chance to pour alcohol into different containers while out in the parking lot either." Orlando said that the Turnpike Authority had to take an additional step after last summer's Gwen Stefani concert. "Unfortunately, the behaviors were legendary in the course of the arts center at that concert," Orlando said. "It got so much attention with young kids going to the hospital with alcohol poisoning that something had to be done." The new tailgating ban goes one step further than a ban adopted last season at the PNC Bank Arts Center. Last summer's concert season culminated with the deaths of two concertgoers and 490 arrests for underage drinking. As a result, a ban on consumption of alcoholic beverages while tailgating was put into effect. The new ban will not allow tailgating at events that attract younger concertgoers. According to Orlando, the concert schedule hasn't been announced yet so there is no information yet on what concerts will be affected and when the policy will start. Orlando also said that arrests were not the main goal. "We need to make this behavior stop, not increase the arrests," he said. "For this summer, some of the clearly youth-oriented music concerts should require a total ban on tailgating," said Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-13). Handlin said last week that it is important that the members of the community have a chance to be a part of the decision-making on this issue and that is why she encourages residents to attend the forum on the PNC Bank Arts Center drinking to be held March 18 at 7 p.m. in the Holmdel High School. Representatives of Live Nation, the concert presenter that rents the PNCArts center venue, will be in attendance. Police Chief Raymond Wilson said Monday that the problems at the PNC Arts center are not a matter for the Holmdel Police Department. "The state police will be enforcing this," Wilson said. "I don't see it affecting us any more than any other year." As for the presence of drivers under the influence on the roads in Holmdel surrounding the PNC Bank Arts Center, he said that many people do not travel those roads when going to or coming from a concert. "Most people going to and from that venue use the Garden State Parkway," he said. "I really don't see people drinking at home and then coming through Holmdel to get to PNC." For Handlin, open communication is still her number one priority for the district she represents. "It is important to establish transparency and open lines of communication within the community," Handlin said. "An open line of communication among the key decision makers is a must. Our community needs to be one of those key decision makers as well." "Really the climax of last season was ultimately the tragedy of death," Handlin said. "And we don't want that to happen again."