It’s just not worth it
tommyThere’s more distress in Ybor City. Over the past decade, reports of violence disrupting the weekend crowds there have reduced the crowd by about half. The current round is being blamed on a new teen nightspot, Club Bling. Kids that should be under their parents supervision are let out of the club after midnight, then take to the streets of the entertainment district, intimidating, robbing, and even aggressively attacking people. There’s nothing new about teenagers being in Ybor City after dark, but this club has attracted greater numbers of teens, and even younger kids. I’ve noticed the increase in youngsters and violence over the past couple of months, and watched as these kids run up and down 7th avenue (into and around innocent bystanders) toward the latest fight.
Those who went to Ybor on a regular basis fifteen years ago are now in their mid-thirties to mid-forties. And although they now have more money, they have less time to spend it, what with families and jobs and other grown-up stuff. So when these folks find the time and energy to go out, they no longer feel comfortable around all the minors and stay away from the trouble in Ybor City. And I don’t blame them. There are plenty of other options now, such as SoHo, Channelside, Bay Street (International Plaza), Hyde Park and others. But to visitors, Ybor is still the best known place for drinking and dancing.
I agree with those that say the teens do not belong in Ybor City. But I also agree with Mayor Pam and Judy Hill who said that this is really a parental issue. Unfortunately, there is no way to police parenting. So if the city wants Ybor to be a place where tourists (and responsible locals) will visit, they will have to find a way to get the youngsters out of there.
It’s hard to say what will happen in the end. The city is obligated to help Centro Ybor succeed, and GameWorks is a national corporation with the resources to influence any decisions made. Meanwhile, businesses will continue to fail, and Ybor will turn into a place that everyone used to go.
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