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Bar Service

Bar Service for the University of Michigan-Flint campus can be arranged by contacting Conferences & Events (CAE).

General Bar Service Policies

These general bar service policies apply to both licensed and non-licensed facilities at the University of Michigan-Flint.

At all events where alcohol is to be present, food of a substantial nature must be provided for the guests by the host. For receptions, food of a substantial nature is equivalent to a minimum of three hors d’oeuvre portions per person attending the event for each hour of bar service.

Bar service is limited to four hours. Bar service may begin no earlier than one hour prior to meal service and must end one hour prior to the end of the event and prior to midnight.

The legal drinking age in the state of Michigan is 21 years of age for all alcoholic beverages. Conferences & Events staff will require proper identification of any guest who appears to be under the age of 30.  No one under 21 years of age will be allowed to drink within the facilities. At the discretion of Conferences & Events, wristbands may be used for events to identify those over 21 years of age.

Changes to alcohol service times may only be accommodated if:

  • the request is submitted prior to the event start,
  • TAM/TIPS certified staff are available, and
  • all applicable charges are reviewed and accepted

All bartenders are trained in and observe the Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM). In an effort to maintain the health and safety of guests, the following parameters apply to bar service.

  • All drinks must be served with the appropriate amounts of mixers and ice. No straight shots of any liquor or combination of three or more liquors will be served.
  • All beer, wine and mixed drinks will be provided in individual servings. No pitchers of beer or pitchers of mixed drinks will be served. No bottles of wine will be left on the guests’ tables.

In regard to bar service, Conference & Events reserves the following rights:

  • to limit the maximum number of drinks an individual may purchase/receive at one time.
  • to deny alcoholic beverage service to anyone at any time.
  • to recheck ID’s.
  • to shut down alcohol service entirely.

Individual behavior concerning the service of alcohol is governed by the Liquor Control Commission, state and local law, and the University of Michigan Student Policy on Alcohol and Drugs.

Guests are not permitted to purchase alcoholic beverages for underage or intoxicated guests.

It is not permitted to remove any type of alcohol, opened or sealed, from our premises. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is not permitted within the public areas of university facilities.

Liability insurance, in the amount of $1 million per occurrence/$2 million annual aggregates, naming additional insured “The Regents of The University of Michigan” is due no later than 14 days prior to the event. Description of location and certificate holder requirements will be provided by Conferences & Events.

Bar service contracts must be signed and returned to Conferences & Events no less than 30 days prior to the event. Bar service contracts must be paid in full 30 days prior to the event. The guest count for the bar service may only be adjusted upward after the contract is signed no later than 14 days prior to the event.

Riverfront Conference Center

As a licensed facility, Riverfront Conference Center is subject to all rules and regulations of the State of Michigan’s Liquor Control Commission.  No alcohol other than that provided by Conferences & Events may be present or consumed on the premises of Riverfront Conference Center. Additionally, no alcohol can be removed from the event room or Riverfront Conference Center facilities.

All events where students are invited will require the submission of an Alcohol Disclosure Form, provided by the Event Manager.  Events with student attendees may require wrist banding, Department of Public Safety officers, and/or faculty/staff chaperones. In those cases, the group organizing the event may need to pay associated fees. Events organized by student organizations can only have cash bars.

Types of Service for Riverfront Conference Center:

  • Full Open & Cash Bar Service – includes liquors, wines, beer and soft drinks (Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite), juices (cranberry, orange and pineapple), mixers (tonic, soda, grenadine and sweet & sour mix), garnish, plastic and paper products.
  • Partial Open & Partial Cash Bar Service – includes wines, draft beer, and soft drinks (Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite), plastic and paper products.

Non-Licensed Locations

Conferences & Events does not hold an off-premise liquor permit. The client is therefore responsible for providing the alcohol and the special license. A special license is not required if all of the following conditions apply:

  • the event is free of charge
  • the event is by invitation only (not open to the public)
  • no regular liquor inventory is kept
  • the event must be monitored by Conferences & Events and all servers are TAM or TIPS-certified

By law our staff is not permitted to receive, purchase or transport alcohol; this is the responsibility of the client. The client will arrange delivery of the alcohol for the day of the event at an agreed-upon time. No alcohol other than that provided by the client during the delivery time may be served within our facilities.  Additionally, no alcohol can be removed from the event room or facilities. Unused alcohol is discarded by Conference & Events at the conclusion of the event.

All events where students are invited are not permitted to have bar service in a non-licensed location.

Types of Bar Service

  • Full Open Bar Service – includes soft drinks (Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite), juices (cranberry, orange and pineapple), mixers (tonic, soda, grenadine and sweet & sour mix), garnish, plastic and paper products. Client provides alcohol, beer and/or wine.
  • Partial Open Bar Service – includes soft drinks (Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite), plastic and paper products. Client provides beer and/or wine.

Special License (Non-profit or Civic Organizations)

Special licensing is required in a non-licensed facility to sell alcohol at an event. Special licensing is available only to non-profit or civic organizations and not individual private parties, i.e. wedding receptions.

  • The organization is responsible for selling drink tickets that are presented at the bar to ‘purchase’ a drink.
  • The process to secure the State of Michigan Special License must begin no later than 45 days prior to the event. If the process begins less than 45 days before the event, the license may not be issued in time for the event. By law, bar service is prohibited without the original Special License.
  • Before initiating the application process, the organization must receive permission in writing from UM-Flint stating the organization has been given permission to hold an alcohol event on campus. Conferences & Events will submit the request on behalf of the organization.
  • The original Special License must be received by Conferences & Events 14 days prior to the event and must be posted in the bar area by the Conferences & Events staff. The original license will be returned to the event contact person upon conclusion of the event as the license must be returned to the State of Michigan.
  • Special License application and instructions are available here.
  • NOTE: The University does not require the City of Flint Police Department to sign as the ‘investigator’ in Part I, #9, of the application. This section will be completed by UM-Ann Arbor.
  • Conferences & Events at the UM-Flint will provide a room diagram as required in the application. The room diagram must accompany the Special License application when it is sent to UM-Ann Arbor.
  • Client must notify Conferences & Events when the application has been mailed to the appropriate office in Ann Arbor.