Tigerland should be completely shut down. Tigerland is a cesspool for violence, crime, binge-drinking and other deplorable activities, making it a trashy and dangerous place for students and other visitors.
In June 2017, Reggie’s Bar was busted in a sting operation by law enforcement. They busted the bar on several violations, including selling alcohol to underage drinkers as young as 16.
Many were cited with crimes ranging from underage drinking to assault of an officer. The law enforcement also noted the crowd was twice the legal occupancy, making the bar a dangerous environment, especially in the case of an emergency.
As the investigation and court sessions went along, law enforcement also reported many more violations, which should have shut the bar down completely. However, a second judge came on the scene and lifted the temporary closure, opening it for the start of the semester for the continuation of debauchery.
Reggie’s has also been accused of racism on several occasions, from their dress code to the Confederate flag hanging on the wall. In 2015, some complained of Reggie’s using a racist stamp. In September 2017, Reggie’s was under fire for cups stating “Show your pride” with a blue confederate flag, and the appearance of a noose in the establishment on the same night.
Reggie’s alone should have been shut down, never to be reopened, but the city apparently won’t do anything about the eyesore. It’s a place of severe disrespect and is a danger to its customers since they won’t follow the law, which is in place for public safety.
Fred’s Bar doesn’t fare much better than Reggie’s with their “midget wrestling” events. These events are quite disrespectful and dehumanizing, since the drunk crowd only shows up to view this as a funny spectacle to make fun of little persons.
The Tigerland bars are disgusting and sketchy enough as it is, but the large parking lot is what makes the place even more dangerous. According to The Advocate, law enforcement views Tigerland as a crime hotspot.
The last few years have had several incidents of guns being fired or being used to threaten customers outside of the bars. There have also been incidents of rape, burglary and other acts of violence in the parking lot.
In June 2015, LSU football player Trey Lealaimatafao was accused of digging through an unconscious man’s pockets and punching a woman in the parking lot. Another football player was stabbed outside of the bars. This is the deplorable behavior that seems to be encouraged by the shady environment Tigerland attracts. It’s obviously not safe for any customer, especially if stabbings are occurring.
According to The Advocate, batteries rose from 95 in 2014 to 119 in 2015, firearm incidents doubled from 14 in 2014 to 30 in 2015 and burglaries rose from 107 in 2014 to 111 in 2015.
This is quite concerning, especially if there are highschool children trying to attend these bars. The area is trashy, classless and dangerous. It doesn’t help that many customers get drunk from partying a little too hard at the bars, as well. Getting drunk in sketchy places leads to impaired judgments and helpless customers.
There have been a few incidents with students and other pedestrians getting hit by the train passing by Tigerland— many of them were drunk. In 2016, a 19-year-old LSU student was seriously injured on the train tracks. He missed all audible ques of the train barrelling down the tracks and was luckily saved by a passerby who dialed 9-1-1.
Incidents like these are quite serious: from the disrespectful attitude to the rampant crime to the binge drinking. Tigerland needs to be shut down for the safety and self-respect of students and residents in the area. If it won’t get shut down, then the University should at least better educate its students on the dangers of this party location.
Abigail Varnado is a 22-year-old English senior from Amite, Louisiana.
