By Jeralee O'Hara, '07 | Campus News Editor

The Corral, a new club, opened this month for students on the site where The Escape once stood before it was shut down last year.

“College kids are great; I love them.  They’re the reason this town exists,” says Matt Toomath, the owner of The Corral.   Matt also owns the Ye Olde Pizza Pub in Oneida, the Morrisville Pizzeria, and a number of rentals in Morrisville and Oneida.  

 “When was the last time you saw a live band?” Toomath asked. He said special nights will be a common occurence at The Corral.  Karaoke, Open Mic night, live bands, DJs, Country music nights, and Dance Nights featuring Top 40 dance music are just a few of the specials the club will offer.  

Toomath said The Corral will have food and wing specials for Monday Night Football and other sports events.

 The Corral opened its doors on Wednesday, Oct. 11. The bar will require that patrons be 18 to enter, 21 to drink, with two forms of ID. Students’ licenses and college photo ID will be accepted, Toomath said. He has installed the “newest scanners on the market for IDs.” The scanner has a “reentry mode” which will be able to tell if an ID has already been scanned that night. It will also keep track if a customer has been banned from the bar. 'Of-age' customers will be given wrist bands to allow them to purchase alcohol. 

Toomath said he has put a “plethora of coin” into his new bar.  The name is shown above the bar right below a pair of long horns. Beneath that is the phase seen at every bar, “Drink Responsibly.”  There is a stage with a 154-inch video flat-screen surrounded by six 18-inch subwoofers, six 15-inch flying speakers and a drop-down dance floor.  Across from the bar are two pool tables.   The bar can hold up to 175 people. The liquor license is displayed right under a neon “Bud Light” sign. 

The bar includes “an energy drink on tap and a Jagermeister machine that serves “Jager” out at 5 degrees.”  They will also try to have “every known liquor,” Toomath said.

 “This is the college student bar,” unlike other places students go to party; the bar will be a safe place for students.  Matt explained that he knows females usually have a problem going out, but there will be bouncers to remove customers who get out of hand.  “I can be very strict on whom I serve and don’t serve," Toomath said. "It’s all bought and paid for;  I don’t have to make money on the bar. 

“Students can come and just have fun; you can come out and drink responsibly,” because the bar is just a walk from campus, Toomath added.