With only a few days left before the Ohio State football season openers, fans were leftwondering whether Hineygate will happen on Saturday.
The celebration lost its traditional location earlier this year after OSU bought the Holiday InnOn The Lane.
There was interest in bringing the party back and moving it next door to the parking lot of theThirsty "I" bar, a place formerly known as Wendell's. The bar sits on property owned by theuniversity, and the university began the eviction process after claiming the establishment's ownerswere late on rent payments.
The university admitted the bar owners are up to date on base rents, but a real estate officialoutlined other problems with property tax payments in court.
10TV News found some options for fans who can't imagine a football Saturday withoutHineygate.
Martini Park, located at Easton, plans to hold a celebration in their parking lot. They expectthousands of fans to attend and enjoy food supplied by nearby vendors and cheaper-than-Hineygatebeers, 10TV's Jeff Hogan reported.
"We're hoping to have the ultimate Buckeye fans, people that obviously love to come to Easton,"said Tammy Geiger, director of sales at Martini Park. "We have a one-stop shop. The ladies can goshopping, the men can watch the game on the big screen and have the Danger Brothers to listento."
The Danger Brothers band is one common tie to the old Hineygate.
At Across The Field, a retail store located near campus, the old idea will live on for homegames, Hogan reported.
"We're using the same concept, we hired the same management crew that ran Hineygate for 25years," said co-owner Matt Lucas.
The name of the pre-game celebration, however, has changed.
"It's called 'Across The Field Bash,'" Lucas said.
It will have the same band, twice the parking as Hineygate and the same flavors of beer andliquor, but a longer walk.
"There's already 5,000-10,000 people that walk by here on game day and they always ask us, 'Whatcan we do?'" Lucas said.
Across The Field owners and event organizers believe it is a simpler alternative beforekickoff.
"There's not so much of the chaos of two or three parties going at once and bands, all the loudmusic and everything, now we're all just one party," Lucas said.
The Across The Field Bash could have some staying power. Two more hotels are planned, which willbring the total to seven in the immediate area.
Stay with 10TV News and 10TV.com for more information.
Previous Stories:
August 6, 2009: No DecisionRegarding Fate Of Hineygate
July 24, 2009: Judge To Decide FateOf Hineygate-Type Party
