If you're new to the area and work in downtown Boise, you'll want to read this article. If this week's Boise State home game is your first at Albertson's Stadium, then read on, true believer. The Boise Police have issued several reminders in a recent release on what to expect and where to consume alcohol outside the stadium.  

The Boise Police want everyone to have a great game day experience as the Broncos take on UTEP this Friday. Let's begin with a few common-sense pointers that everyone should follow:

Do not drink and drive

Park safely and legally. If you don't follow the directions in the parking signs, you could get a ticket, or your car could be towed. Who wants to come back from a game and can't find their car?

Are you looking to have a drink? There is a designated area called the 10 to 10 zones. No open containers are allowed outside the zones, and that includes the parking lots. How about the surrounding streets? The answer is the same, no open containers. Boise Police will be patrolling the area to make sure adults are not buying/giving drinks to the underaged.  

The police say be good neighbors by using the crosswalks, not littering, and respecting the homes in the surrounding areas and on campus—the Boise Police detail what else to specifically expect on gameday.  

What Boise Police are looking for?

Officers want to remind citizens to celebrate responsibly. Officers are advising citizens and area businesses to check IDs and not to provide alcohol to those under the legal drinking age of 21. For public safety, Boise Police will be checking for illegal alcohol use in the campus area including an emphasis on the neighborhoods just south of campus where problems continue to be reported by neighbors and businesses of people on streets, in parks, and parking lots engaged in illegal alcohol use and related problems like disorderly conduct, underage drinking, drunk driving, assaults, urinating in public, loud parties, and littering.

The 10 to 10 Zone

10 to 10 Zone boundaries are specific. No "gray area" exists outside the identified boundaries and illegal alcohol use outside those boundaries will be enforced.

It is a violation of the city code to have open containers of alcohol on public streets and sidewalks, city parks without a parks department's permission, and within 250 feet of the Boise River. This includes private parking lots open to the public (private parking lots with catering permits are the exception).

The 10 to 10 Zone remains in place for home games this season. It specifies areas off-campus where people age 21 or older may consume alcoholic beverages from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Boise State home football game days only.

Alcoholic beverages are allowed in opaque plastic cups within the zone. Glass containers, beer cans, and types of liquor bottles and cups with alcoholic labeling are not allowed.

The "Zone" begins at Broadway Avenue and Myrtle Street, extends south down Broadway to Beacon, turns west along Beacon, north up Oakland Avenue, west on Potter Drive, north again up South Joyce Street, and then west along University Drive all the way to Capitol Boulevard. The boundary extends north along Capitol and turns east onto Cesar Chavez Lane, crosses Friendship Bridge north, and leads into Julia Davis Park. In the park, the "10 to 10 Zone" boundary is the area east of Zoo Boise to Broadway Avenue, and south of the Julia Davis pond.

Penalties for Drinking

• Those carrying open containers of alcohol on city streets, sidewalks, city parks or parking lots risk getting a citation. Illegally possessing an open container of alcohol or urinating in public is a misdemeanor that requires a court appearance with a possible penalty of a fine up to $1,000 or 6 months in jail.
• Minors found in possession of alcohol risk a driver’s license suspension and/or a fine.
• A person who sells or furnishes alcohol to an underage youth will face fines between $500 and $1,000 plus up to one year in jail.                      

Bronco Gameday Shuttle:  The Downtown Boise Association has coordinated free shuttle buses from several convenient downtown locations to Albertson’s Stadium. The Bronco Gameday Shuttle runs every 15 minutes for two hours prior to game time, and immediately after the game for one hour. To see the location of the Bronco Gameday Shuttle pick-ups, CLICK HERE.             

Parking:  Neighborhoods / Public Streets: To preserve the neighborhood and public safety, officers will be watching for parked vehicles that pose a safety hazard, such as those parked blocking sidewalks, crosswalks, and fire hydrants, or parked too close to intersections or stop signs. Both Idaho State and Boise City codes prohibit the following hazardous parking:

• Within 30 feet of a stop sign or yield sign;
• Within 20 feet of a crosswalk-marked or unmarked-at an intersection;
• Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
• On a sidewalk;
• On a yellow or red "no parking" curb.

These laws apply to all motor vehicles, including motorcycles and scooters.

• Citation: most parking tickets carry a fine of approximately $60.
• Towing: motorists risk their vehicle being towed if the vehicle is parked blocking a driveway, access way, fire hydrant, or parked illegally in an alleyway.

Parking in Parks:  The Boise Police Department and Boise Parks and Recreation Department want to remind football fans that all vehicles must be parked legally within Julia Davis Park, Ann Morrison Park, Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park and Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park.

• Parking for Boise State home games is free on a first come, first served basis. Free parking is available at each park until 9:00 a.m. for home games only. Art in the Park is September 10-12, so parking in Julia Davis for the first home game will be extremely limited.
• Towing will be delayed at Julia Davis Park, Ann Morrison Park, Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park and Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park until 9:00 a.m. the following morning regardless of the game’s kickoff time. 
• Vehicles must be parked in a designated parking space. Cars parked on a yellow curb will be towed.
• Glass beverage containers are prohibited in all City of Boise parks. Any other glass must be removed from the park by visitors and can’t be deposited in the trash.
• Alcohol consumption is allowed inside the 10 to 10 zone within Julia Davis Park, but alcohol policies vary at other park locations including Ann Morrison Park and Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park. Limited reservation sites are also available for a fee and in some cases, a permit is needed for alcohol consumption at reserved shelter.