Memorial tailgating lot has been the staple of tailgating for University of South Carolina football games for years. This season, it will be under new ownership, changing from Morrison Memorial, LLC to Viral College Entertainment, LLC.
According to new operator Alex Waelde, the lot will undergo a multitude of positive changes. One of the most important for Waelde was reducing lines at the entrance and bathrooms. He said the lot will have approximately 15 portable bathrooms this season, which is more than double the amount it had last season.
“For starters, last year I think there was like seven bathrooms on the property,” Waelde said. “I’m putting a minimum of 15 this year. Quite frankly, they won’t even know which one to pick to go to.”
Waelde, who also runs the lots dubbed "the fraternity lots," will implement a wristband policy this season in an effort to reduce waiting at the lot’s entrance.
“The spot owners are just going to pick up wristbands and they can give them out to whoever they want,” Waelde said. “That way, when you’re coming up to Memorial Lot, whenever you decide to get there, you’re not waiting in line. You can just hold up your wrist and walk right in ... identical to how they do it in the fraternity lots.”
Fast food will also be available at Memorial Lot this season with a tent selling a limited Chick-Fil-A menu, including chicken sandwiches for $5 with cash or credit card.
There will be a new private security company working at the lots this season and approximately two to six law enforcement officers will be present on the property on game days.
With the new changes, Waelde said the lot is expected to sell out before the Gamecocks’ home opener on Sept. 16, and encourages students to purchase them before space fills up.
“We sold 180 spots in 12 hours,” Waelde said in an Aug. 22 interview. “When I tweeted out that the spots were on sale, literally the website crashed. Like the server crashed ... I think we have 30 spots left. The last time I checked it was 31. We’ve still got a month before the first home game ... We’re about to fill up and when we’re full, we’re full.”
In addition to Memorial Lot, upgrades will be made to the “the fraternity lots.” Waelde said the biggest change is that all 16 fraternities are going to be on one property, instead of two.
Similar to Memorial Lot, there will also be food vendors, ATMs and “triple” the amount of bathrooms on the lot this season.
“It’s going to be a really nice grass area in the back and then there's concrete in the front,” Waelde said. “Honestly, it’s certainly going to be something a lot nicer than what it's been in the past.”