Police asked for the ban after disorder at last year's event resulted in police in riot gear gear being pelted with bottles.
The University of Canterbury Engineering Society (Ensoc) pulled out of organising the event, warning without the support of local authorities it might be forced underground, and an alternative event appears to have been planned.
The Dunedin City Council planning and environment committee yesterday debated a staff recommendation that the liquor restriction, an extension of the central city ban on carrying open bottles of alcohol or consuming alcohol in public places, be put in place during August.
It would only take effect from 7pm on the Friday of the event to 7am the following Monday, but it needed to be available any time during the month because there was uncertainty about when the event would take place.
Cr Dave Cull said he had concerns about the idea, and had predicted an underground event would be held.
If the council had been more constructive in its dealings with the organisers, it might not have been in the situation it was.
Cr Paul Hudson agreed, and said he did not agree with organisations that told people "when to brush their teeth and go to the toilet" as the council would appear if it went ahead with the restriction.
Cr Kate Hudson said the event had been a mostly positive one, apart from the disorder, and the council needed to work with the organisers.
But committee chairman Cr Michael Guest said the council needed to take a hardline attitude.
Last year, some participants in the event had "broken every single rule".
"It wasn't just disorderly behaviour - it was riotous behaviour. We all know what happened."
A majority of councillors voted for the ban.
