Houston Rodeo BBQ Cookoff

[bfriend]

If you heading to the BBQ cookoff, don't bother carrying because they are scanning at the gates.

[tbrown]

Texas State Fair scans at the gates too.

[philip964]

They have a small sign where you buy the tickets that says prohibited items, long list including Balloons. Also says firearms.

So this would not be notice. So I assumed legal CHL would be ok, except for all the alcohol being served. Then I saw the wanding and pat downs.

So if you got wanded and they discovered your legally carried weapon, I assume you would be told to leave. Or would you just be arrested?

[chuckybrown]

Curious: County owned property, not a professional sporting event....how can they legally keep CHL'ers out?

[Keith B]

Curious: County owned property, not a professional sporting event....how can they legally keep CHL'ers out?

The same way the gun shows on city property post 30.06 signs. Most CHL'ers disarm instead of wanting to be a test case. I do know there are some CHL holders that will bypass those signs they know are not valid, but they are taking a chance of getting caught and then becoming the test case. Legally, they are within their rights, but they could still get cuffed and stuffed.

[Maxwell]

Curious: County owned property, not a professional sporting event....how can they legally keep CHL'ers out?

Hmm.. The BBQ Cook Off is at the Rodeo and that is a professional sporting event...

Just thinking, I would not want to be the test case.

[Divided Attention]

I am wondering if it is not 51% with all the alcohol. Carry at the livestock show is not prohibited - just not into the stadium with the rodeo. This is the first year they are wanding though. Of course we have always entered through the exhibitors entrance too. But have never seen wanding at the regular entrances.

[chuckybrown]

I'm going tonight. I'll update later tonight or tomorrow as to signage, etc.

[iAmSam]

Hmm.. The BBQ Cook Off is at the Rodeo and that is a professional sporting event...

I thought the rodeo competition was inside the stadium and the cooking competition was outside the stadium.

[McKnife]

We went last night and did not see any signs or magic-wanders, so I carried away without issues.

We used the entrance on the middle-right of this PDF map: http://rodeohouston.com/Portals/0/Downl ... BBQMap.pdf

Have fun!

[Dan20703]

I didn't notice this thread until this morning. CHL carry was allowed. I asked the people at the gate and the guy whispered to me that it was okay. Funny part was when I asked the guy about to wand me and he had absolutely no clue as to what I was questioning. Just a panic/deer in the headlights kind of look.

Also in response to the 51% comment. The individual team booths don't sell alcohol. They give it away for free to the invited guests. They don't have liquor licenses.

[chuckybrown]

We entered on Kirby, the entrance closest to the Stadium. They were wanding at this entrance....and it was quiet hilarious to hear all the "beep...beeeep...beep.....go ahead" going on. It keyed on my knife, my keys, and on my belt buckle...and they didn't frisk or stop me.

They have a sign on the fence that's past that entrance that said "no weapons allowed", but no 30.06 signs to be seen.

Maybe Chas can get them to clarify for next year...I'd have much rather had my weapon on me.

[Scott in Houston]

I came on the board to post about this. Being on a committee, they didn't wand me, but they do for paying guests.

I asked the LEO that was monitoring, and they said it's fine to carry with a CHL, and if you had one, they'd just check your license and let you through.

That being said, they also gave the obligatory, "Don't drink while doing it," speech... which I agree with.

You can carry everywhere but inside the Reliant Stadium while the Rodeo is going on.


Side note... out of curiosity, I asked the 2 LEO working security at our BBQ tent about it, and they both thought it was illegal to carry inside the BBQ.
I knew them somewhat, so I wasn't hesitant to ask under what grounds or what law that would be upheld. Of course, neither had any idea other than comments like, "Well, why would you? There are plenty of LEO around to protect you," and "There is a lot of alcohol around, so..."

I didn't 'argue' with 'em, but just said, "Nothing in the law prohibits carry here."


What I took away from this was, as usual, most LEO really don't know the law. (How could they know all the law? I'm not meaning this as judgmental, just fact.)
The LEO at the gates knew this part of the law because it was their duty to do so... but those inside who don't work the gates, are just working security and go on their gut and general assumptions about what the law is... not the actual law as written.
So, I would see it very likely that if for some reason you were found to be carrying inside, you may get a bit of a hassle, and potentially detained for a time, but ultimately, you would not even be a 'test case.'

[WildBill]

I didn't 'argue' with 'em, but just said, "Nothing in the law prohibits carry here."

As they used to say on Family Feud: "Good Answer!"