Eastern Market issues new tailgating safety rules after fatal shooting

DETROIT — Eastern Market will implement some new safety changes for tailgating events after a shooting left two people dead earlier in the season.

It happened on September 15 at Shed 6 in the Eastern Market neighborhood. According to police, two men got into an argument and one of them pulled out a gun and fired shots.

The new tailgating guidelines go into effect on October 27th and will apply to all future events.

Eastern Market officials said they are committed to ensuring their tailgating events remain fun and safe.

General guidelines:

• All work on the tailgate must be carried out in accordance with the law.

• The tailgate and parking lots open approximately four hours before kickoff at 9 a.m. for games at 1 p.m. Noon for 4pm games and 4pm for 8pm games.

• All parking lots are closed and vehicles must be removed within 60 minutes of the game. Overnight parking is not permitted.

• Tailgating is only permitted in designated parking areas. Tailgating is prohibited on public streets, sidewalks, private property and alleys.

• All vehicles in busy areas must follow all instructions from Eastern Market Partnership staff.

• Tents larger than 10×10 are prohibited.

Prohibited activities:

• Weapons or firearms are strictly prohibited. This applies to both real weapons and fake weapons such as toy guns, swords, knives, hatchets or bombs that can be part of a costume.

• Selling items or promoting promotional events or marketing activities by guests is prohibited.

• Disorderly behavior is not permitted and will be punished in accordance with legal regulations.

NEW Ticket Policies and Procedures:

• Upon arrival, ticket holders must present their Eventbrite ticket for scanning and will receive a vehicle tag for TWO designated adjacent parking spaces and 10 wristbands for up to 10 motorists per area.

• Eastern Market staff will direct ticket holders to their assigned seats.

• Tags and wristbands will be color coded for each game and are not transferable to future tailgate events.

• Individual tailgate areas have been reconfigured to provide safe, comfortable and enjoyable tailgate driving within the parking area.

Food and Beverage Policies

• Alcohol must be restrained in tailgate parking areas and underage drinking is prohibited.

• Only state-approved gas/propane grills with fuel valve shut-off and standalone charcoal grills are permitted.

• Only self-starting charcoal or gas grills are permitted in the tailgating area. No lighter fluid is permitted on the premises.

• Deep fryers and cooking oil are not permitted on the premises.

• In closely guarded areas of the parking lot, guests may bring and prepare food only for consumption by their family and friends. Food may not be offered for sale.

Cleanup guidelines

• Guests must return their area to its original condition before leaving the tailgating area.

• Storage areas must be kept in a clean and tidy condition and all garbage must be disposed of in appropriate containers. To make waste disposal easier, we have installed additional trash containers throughout the tailgate area and around the market.

• All hot coal must be extinguished and placed in the hot coal containers located at all exclusion sites.

Additional Event Policies and Procedures:

• Signs will be posted at Eastern Market indicating the ban on weapons and firearms.

• By order of the fire department, driving into entrance lanes within parking spaces is prohibited.

• In the event of an emergency, emergency services personnel are on site.

• In addition to Eastern Market Partnership personnel and a private security unit, Detroit Police Officers will be stationed throughout the crowded area to support the event.

A complete list of Eastern Market policies can be found on the official website.