Beer Sales at Stadium Probed : Investigation: Anaheim police have issued citations to nine vendors accused of selling alcohol to minors during a California Angels game.

ANAHEIM — State officials are investigating nine allegations of beer sales to minors at Anaheim Stadium, which are expected to result in fines to the stadium concessionaire, authorities said.

Anaheim Police Capt. Randall Gaston said Friday that criminal citations were also issued to nine vendors during an investigation in which police used 18- and 19-year-old male decoys to purchase beer during a May 29 California Angels baseball game.

Marianne Eckhoff, investigations supervisor for the state Alcoholic Beverage Control board in Orange County, said the cases are the first violations for stadium contractor Ogden Entertainment Corp. and would probably not threaten the stadium’s alcoholic beverage license.

“Most likely, Ogden is looking at a fine and some aggravation,” Eckhoff said Friday. “Anaheim Stadium is so unique in that it is such a large outlet.”

As with other first-time violators, Eckhoff said the concessionaire will be required to pay a fine ranging from $700 to $1,500, with the department effectively placing Ogden on probation for a year. She said the stadium would probably be issued the maximum fine and any future probation violations could be cause for suspension of the stadium’s license to sell alcoholic beverages. A final decision in the case is expected in about two weeks.

“I don’t think (the sanction is) going to be too hard,” said Ed Elias, Ogden’s general manager of food services at the stadium. “They know we make an effort to watch things, but sometimes there is a leak in the dam.”

Many of the alleged violations were centered on the stadium’s field level area where, Elias said, the busiest concessions tend to operate.

The general manager said the nine vendors involved in the sales, ranging in age from 35 to 69, have been placed on indefinite suspension until their cases are resolved. Gaston said all of the incidents involve misdemeanor violations.

“We generally don’t have a whole lot of problems with things like this,” Elias said. “We have actual Anaheim police working security here. Most of our problems are with people coming into the stadium intoxicated.”

Elias said Ogden also has a contract with an outside security company that reportedly monitors stadium concessions about once a month during baseball and football seasons.

As a result of the May incidents, he said the outside monitoring will be increased to once or possibly twice a week during sports seasons.

Gaston said the monitoring activities at the stadium were “no different” than those performed at other locations serving alcohol.