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Your last dollar won't mean your last call at Summerfest, as patrons will discover when the fest opens on Thursday.

For the first time, cash registers at the 43 beer stands at Maier Festival Park will have swipe-and-go credit card capability. The next round for you and your friends is only a simple electronic transaction away.

Summerfest managers say they made the change to make it more convenient for Big Gig patrons.

A comment in the festival budget for this year adds another possible motivation: "Beverage sales will be reorganized in 2005. The change will result in an increase in profits."

Along with installation of credit card systems at 350 cash registers, Summerfest has contracted out nearly all of its beer vending to one business: Major Goolsby's.

In previous years, beer stands have been staffed by Summerfest employees and workers hired by various vendors. Major Goolsby's workers worked the stands around the Briggs & Stratton and Harley-Davidson stages in recent years, and have been a part of the Summerfest operation for three decades.

Summerfest President Don Smiley, in charge of his first Big Gig, sought to consolidate beer sales to a single vendor after studying the operation last year. Goolsby's won the contract based, in part, on its past performance.

The venerable downtown sports bar has hired 750 bartenders and supervisors to manage the beer sales, tapping a list of those who worked at the festival in previous years.

There are two exceptions to Major Goolsby's Miller monopoly: Jo Jo's Martini Bar and the Water St. Brewery pavilion.

One thing remains the same: Milwaukee World Festivals Inc. will take a commission out of each cup sold, a flow of cash that represents its second-largest source of revenue. The 2005 Summerfest budget projects a take of $5.5 million on beer and beverage sales, plus another $1 million from food and soft drinks sold by restaurant vendors.

The other big revenue sources are $6.9 million from sponsors and $3.27 million from gate ticket sales.

Summerfest spokesman John Boler said the changes should make it easier for patrons to buy beer and for Summerfest officials to track sales information.

Beer lines actually should move faster with the credit card terminals, said Sue Landry, the festival's chief financial officer. Cash transactions average 12 seconds, while credit card transactions have tested out at 8 seconds, she said.

No signature will be required for sales under $25. With a four- beer maximum per sale, and 16-ounce cup prices at $4.00 or $4.50, pens and penmanship will not be an issue.

"This is trying to get us into the 20th century," said Howard Schnoll, chairman of the Summerfest Board of Directors.

"Most people are in a credit card economy, and they don't walk around with cash," he said. "Our mandate has always been we want this to be a very customer-friendly festival."

That may be too customer friendly in the eyes of Kari Kinnard, executive director of the Wisconsin chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Ease and accessibility are factors that contribute to irresponsible drinking and drunken driving, Kinnard said. Giving drinkers an extra option to buy more after they've already spent their beer money could increase the risk of drunken driving and other irresponsible behavior, she said.

"It could be the doorway to some dangerous territory."

Schnoll said the diligence of the bartenders, Summerfest security and the Milwaukee police should limit any negative impacts of the late-night credit card splurges. Underage drinkers will be stopped, and drunks will be cut off, Schnoll said.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:30 AM