A proposal to ban alcohol in the Aloha Stadium parking lot for University of Hawai'i football games could take effect as early as mid-October, but would not be ready by the Sept. 3 season opener, a key state official said.

The proposal, which also includes banning alcohol sales in Aloha Stadium, has been endorsed by Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona and UH interim president David McClain. It had been pegged to begin with the Sept. 3 game against defending national champion Southern California.

The proposed alcohol ban — designed to stop alcohol-related misbehavior at Aloha Stadium — has drawn wide-ranging reaction from the community, and will be up for a vote by the nine-member Aloha Stadium Authority today. The 10 a.m. meeting at the Aloha Stadium hospitality room is open to the public.

State Comptroller Russ Saito, who oversees Aloha Stadium issues, said the proposal to ban alcohol sales at Aloha Stadium would likely require contract renegotiations between the concessionaire and the stadium.

However, the proposal to prohibit liquor in the parking lot would require a change in Hawai'i Administrative Rules in regards to tailgating. The process would include giving 30 days' public notice, a public hearing, approval by Gov. Linda Lingle and a 10-day wait before the change goes into effect, according to Saito.

In the quickest scenario, it would take about 45 days before a rule change could take effect, Saito said.

"The rules say you can have tailgating there," Saito said. "Tailgating is traditionally associated with food, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It doesn't say that alcohol is allowed, and it doesn't say alcohol is disallowed. If you wanted to go one way or the other, you would have to create a rule change to say tailgating is allowed but alcohol is not."

The proposal would put Hawai'i in line with a national trend toward "dry" stadiums. In June, USC agreed to end alcohol sales at its home football games, joining the rest of the Pacific-10 Conference teams. The Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference also have bans.

Kevin Chong Kee, the Aloha Stadium Authority chairman, yesterday said he supports a total alcohol ban at Aloha Stadium.

"You can't tell people ... 'You can drink in the stadium, but you can't drink in the parking lot,' " Chong Kee said. "It's a two-way street. You can't have one without the other. You have to have a total ban."

Chong Kee said the authority will make a strong effort to stop alcohol-related misbehavior at Aloha Stadium.

The proposed alcohol ban has drawn approval from the Honolulu Police Department and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, but disapproval from stadium vendors who sell alcohol, the Associated Students of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and Rep. Brian Schatz, D-25th (Makiki, Tantalus).

"The point is to deal with the problem of reckless behavior in the stadium without punishing the 99 percent of loyal UH football fans who know how to behave properly," said Schatz, who proposed that the stadium stop serving alcohol at the end of the first quarter, and to enforce existing laws by banning or prosecuting violators.

Grant Teichman, ASUH president, said the organization opposes the alcohol ban. Yesterday, dozens of students waved signs and hosted a tailgating event on the Bachman Hall lawn to support their cause. ASUH is the elected body that represents more than 10,000 full-time classified undergraduate students.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.