University of Hawai'i football fans can have alcohol when they tailgate after all.

After six months discussing an alcohol ban at UH football games, the Aloha Stadium Authority on a 6-1 vote rejected a proposal yesterday to prohibit drinking in the stadium's 8,000-stall parking lot.

The authority instead plans to consider tougher penalties for fans engaged in alcohol-fueled misbehavior that has spoiled games for many UH fans and their families.

Stadium Authority member Nelson Oyadomari will lead a special subcommittee that will study what can be done to curb drinking at the stadium.

"We are going to work on enforcing our existing rules here, and maybe toughening up some of the policies," Oyadomari said. "We recognize there still is an issue, so we need to take care of it."

The proposed alcohol ban was one of the most heated issues faced by the Stadium Authority, with some fans arguing for alcohol while others complained that drinking at the stadium had gone too far. Under the current rules, rowdy fans are evicted from the stadium, but are allowed to return to the next game.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, who had led the push for a ban on alcohol sales inside the stadium and a prohibition on beer and alcohol drinking in the parking lot, expressed disappointment. Aiona said the authority's decision "was not in the best interest of our citizens" and insisted the issue is not dead.

"The authority's subcommittee will reconvene so they can put more teeth into preventing underage drinking and discuss how to enforce it at the stadium," he said in a statement.

For now, however, the parking lot ban "is gone," said Aloha Stadium Authority chairman Kevin Chong Kee, citing fan opposition to the proposal.

"We listened to what the public wanted, and we agree with it," he said. "I think the public has seen we can address this situation, and we won't be afraid to address it in the future if it gets any worse."

A majority of the authority members said a ban would ruin the tradition of tailgating at games and discriminate against UH spectators. Members also said a ban would impose an inconsistent policy on UH fans since drinking is allowed inside the stadium and that a parking lot ban would be difficult to enforce.

Several UH fans applauded the authority's decision.

"I think it's a good thing," said Janson Aono, 25, of Pearl City. "They probably realized that it was logistically a nightmare. Getting the manpower to police all that area is ridiculous."

Had the proposal passed, Aono said it wouldn't have stopped drinking in the parking lot. "It's (the alcohol) just going to be hidden from view," he said.

Aaron Jones, 21, a UH student from Hilo, said one reason fans go to the games is to drink.

"You wouldn't want to dissuade fans," he said. "That's one of the reasons they come, to drink and be social. Maybe more security or stop selling (alcohol) earlier in games might be better solutions."

Dennis Loui, 49, of 'Ewa Beach, a UH season-ticket holder for about 30 years, said it would be "hypocritical to allow drinking inside but not outside (the stadium)."

Loui also said that the long debate was a waste of time and money. "I'm sure there are more important things they could have addressed," Loui said. "They need to beef up enforcement inside to take care of the problems there."

The authority said one option members will explore is whether to increase penalties for fans who drink and misbehave.

"We should have strict law against this abusive behavior and strong punishment for the offenders," authority member Gilbert Kimura said. "Right now, the police and security can only process and evict them. This is not punishment."

To improve security, authority member Alvin Narimatsu suggested an emergency phone number for Aloha Stadium spectators to report "deviant behavior" or to request medical help.

Oyadomari suggested revoking season tickets for alcohol abusers, but he said UH officials may not like that idea.

Marcia Klompus, the only authority member to vote for the drinking ban, said she didn't want the issue dropped.

"Whether it's a drinking ban, or whether it's a security issue, whatever it needs to be, I think we need to stay with it, and just explore it further," Klompus said.

UH Interim President David McClain supported an alcohol ban inside the stadium, but did not support a ban in the parking lot, citing the tailgating tradition and enforcement problems.

"I always thought it would be difficult to regulate the consumption of alcohol in the stadium parking lots," McClain said in a statement. "However, excessive drinking resulting in rowdy, and sometimes dangerous, behavior cannot be tolerated at our UH football games. I am sure the Stadium Authority will continue to take a thorough look at the issue and under its leadership I am hopeful our fans will have a healthy, safe and pleasant environment in which to watch our Warrior football team."

The Stadium Authority yesterday also delayed a vote on whether to follow a consultant's report to lock Aloha Stadium's movable grandstands into a football configuration, which would save $10 million but force baseball teams to play elsewhere.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.