Shooters has recently been pushing for its Duke patrons to sign up for free membership in order to maintain its status as a private club.
A sign at the club's entrance limiting access to members has been up for 10 years, but Shooters manager Kim Cates said she has only recently felt pressure from Alcohol Law Enforcement officials to enforce the rule after an underage drinking incident about three weeks ago.
The incident involved two non-members who were caught consuming alcohol in the club, after which ALE officials told Cates to initiate a mass membership drive, she said.
Despite ALE's prompt, Cates said she is encouraging rather than requiring students 18 and over to sign up for memberships.
"You don't have to sign up because you can come as a member's guest, but I'm telling people they get something out of it," she said. "You get a card with 'Shooters' on it."
Charged memberships are only required for Durham locals, with the intention to protect students, Cates said. With the new push for membership, Cates said she is encouraging students to apply, but will not be charging them.
According to ALE, in order to serve liquor in North Carolina an establishment must be either a restaurant or a private club, said Jeff Lasater, the ALE supervisor in Raleigh. As a private club, Shooters must require that all attendants be members or guests of members.
Club memberships do not provide ALE with additional jurisdiction over alcohol consumption in clubs, but they must be enforced by law, said ALE Agent Philip Armstrong of the Durham area. He added that ALE does not track alcohol consumption, membership applications and logs.
Several students said they have not been affected by the membership drive.
"I haven't seen them enforcing the rule so far," sophomore Karan Advani said. "I didn't even know this was happening. I haven't felt the effects, but there doesn't seem to be a purpose for the push for memberships because applying is free."
Cates said, however, a number of students do hold Shooters memberships. Approximately 600 members passed through the doors of Shooters the weekend before Spring Break, she noted.
Some students also said the push for membership would not deter students from drinking at the club.
"I think it's ridiculous because it's not going to prevent underage drinking if people 18 and over can apply for memberships," senior Marilyn Tycer said. "Legitimately, it does nothing. Legal drinking is what ALE should be enforcing, not some random rule."
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