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Effective Friday, alcohol is banned in the parking lot of the central NewJersey entertainment venue. The ban comes a day after two people died andmore than 80 people were arrested Thursday night at an Ozzfest concert.

Police are investigating the deaths of two men, identified as RaymondGuarino, 26, of Forked River and Patrick Norris, 24, of Coram, N.Y.

After possibly taking drugs and alcohol, both passed out in separateincidents at the concert, went into cardiac arrest and later died. StatePolice said the men were believed to have ingested cocaine, marijuana andalcohol prior to their deaths, and troopers who searched Guarino's vehiclefound small amounts of both drugs.

Eighty-three people were arrested during the concert; 59 were charged withunderage drinking. Other charges included distribution of drugs, lewdbehavior and providing alcohol to a minor.

Authorities said the Ozzfest incidents were the latest in a long string ofproblems this season that led them to ban alcohol in the center's parkinglot.

"This is a dramatic step to have to take, but one that is necessary giventhe potential consequences of such risky behavior," Gov. Jon S. Corzine saidFriday.

The first show to be affected will be a concert featuring Velvet Revolver,Alice in Chains and Kill Hannah, scheduled for Friday night. Signs on theGarden State Parkway will notify concertgoers of the alcohol ban.

Joe Orlando, a spokesman for the Turnpike Authority, which owns the artscenter, said the ban is effective no matter a person's age, so even thosewho can drink legally cannot bring alcohol onto the site; in the past,people over the legal drinking age have been allowed to bring alcohol to thecenter's parking lot and tailgate before and during concerts.

Depending on their age, violators face fines, expulsion from the premisesand arrest.

Alcohol will still be sold inside the center, which is located near theshore.

Kevin Coyne, of Sewell, N.J., who attended Ozzfest, said Friday that theall-day concert didn't seem particularly out of control to him, although heleft around 5:30 p.m. and didn't spend much time in the parking lot.

"To me it was just a normal concert. I didn't see anything that was out ofthe ordinary," said Coyne, who said the alcohol ban wouldn't keep him fromgoing to shows in the future.

Coyne said many concertgoers seem to spend more time in the parking lotdrinking than inside the venue watching the acts.

"People get there bright and early and get their party started," Coyne.

Another concertgoer said the alcohol ban might keep him from going to showsin the future.

"My only chance to get drunk is in the parking lot, and they took that awayfrom us," said Avi Miller, of Elizabeth, N.J. who said the beer pricesinside the concert venue are too high.

"They do go around the parking lot asking people for IDs. I don't understandwhy that's not enough," said Miller, who was at the Ozzfest show.

Miller had been planning to attend Friday night's Velvet Revolver show, butinstead plans to go to Camden's Tweeter Center on the Waterfront on Monday,where the band was playing and alcohol is still allowed in the parking lot.

Orlando said state police have arrested more than 200 people at shows at thecenter in the past 10 days.

"We've tried to deal with it by enforcing the law, and people have thumbedtheir nose at it," he said. "So we're taking the only action we can."

Some of the arrests Thursday also involved unruly behavior in the mosh pit.Concertgoers were charged with assault if they were flailing arms or legs ina way that would hurt others.

Ozzfest is a tour of heavy-metal bands started by rocker Ozzy Osbourne. Overthe years it has showcased a number of up-and-coming bands, including LinkinPark and Incubus.

Authorities launched a crackdown on drinking after the season's first showin May because 13 young patrons had to be taken to hospitals withalcohol-related illnesses. The youngest was 11 years old.

More than 90 patrons were arrested at the O.A.R concert on Saturday and 54people were arrested at the Incubus show last Friday. - CelebrityAccessStaff Writers