Preakness seeks to boost attendance with 'all-you-can-drink' beer

Preakness organizers have made big changes this year in an attempt to boost attendance at the annual races at Pimlico Race Course. They're cutting the cost of admission and offering all-you-can-drink beer. 

After a dramatic drop in attendance last year by almost 33,000, to about 77,000, organizers have developed some creative ways to win back former fans, specifically local college students.

Pimlico is trying to lure back many of the young people who boycotted the race because of a controversial change to the infamous infield last year.

In an attempt to control some of the infamous debauchery from years past, Pimlico banned people from bringing alcohol to the infield.

"We were boycotted by the college kids, but we still believe that was the right decision," said Mike Gathagan, spokesman for the Maryland Jockey Club. "Obviously, we took something from them last year. This is trying to give something back.

The new drinking policy was announced Friday. According to the new guidelines, patrons will be able to pay $20 for 16-ounce mugs of beer with unlimited refills. The price of admission was slashed by $10. This year, patrons will pay only $40 for admission and will be able to purchase individual beers for $3.00.

One restriction that will remain is the prohibition of outside beverages being brought in from the outside. Gathagan explained the reasoning behind the rule. "Who's to say that water is really water?" Gathagan said. "People get creative. It's a burden for security to double-check and triple-check."

While Baltimore college students are sure to welcome the change in policy, many critics have expressed concerns over the potential for negative press. The highly publicized 'Running of the Urinals' brought unwanted attention to the event's reputation for wild partying and scandalous behavior.

Gathagan went on to explain the need to regulate alcohol consumption at the annual event. "For decades, people have been allowed to take their own beer and wine to Preakness. In recent years, the infield's level of debauchery escalated to the point where dozens of people ran across the tops of portable toilets while spectators pelted them with full cans of beer."

"Widely circulated videos of the incident, called the Running of the Urinals, tarnished the race's image and helped prompt the Jockey Club to restrict outside beverages," Gathagan said.