College underwear event has high price tag

ORANGE, Calif., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Officials in Orange, Calif., say it will cost up to $19,000 to fix a fountain broken during Chapman University students' unofficial Undie Run event.

City officials said during the annual student event, in which students run through parts of the city in their underwear, a 71-year-old fountain in the city's traffic circle was damaged, The Orange County (Calif.) Register said Tuesday.

City spokesman Paul Sitkoff said several underwear-clad students decided to climb onto the fountain during last Thursday's event, resulting in damage to the fountain's upper bowl.

Sitkoff said the cost of fixing and cleaning the 1937 fountain will cost $8,100, but additional costs are possible if the upper bowl has to be completely replaced.

The university has agreed to pay for any repairs to the fountain, but Orange Mayor Carolyn Cavecche said she is still concerned about the city property damage and the possible use of police to contain the non-sanctioned run.

"Those are my major concerns, and that's putting aside having college students take their clothes off and party in the city's plaza," Cavecche told the Register.