Residents of the East Lake subdivision across from the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa said they’ve encountered numerous problems since the casino began charging patrons for parking last August. To avoid paying for parking, casino patrons are blocking driveways, parking on yards and crowding intersections in East Lake. Residents have put up No Parking signs and put warnings on violators’ cars, with little result.
Neighbor Stacey Gray said of the casino, “They get so much money off of them why charge them to park.” She said the situation is endangering her children. “It is dangerous having to go up and down the street and around the cars,” says Gray.
Another homeowner, Joanne O’Brien, said, “We don’t need them coming over here to park. This is for the residents. They are blocking the view, and it becomes a dangerous situation. A patron from the casino was walking down and relieving himself on the telephone pole. That’s a quality-of-life issue. We don’t need that.” O’Brien said she’s working to get at least half of the 325 residents to sign a petition to close off the street and build a wall separating the neighborhood from the casino. “Close the street and have a walk-through gate for residents. Maybe we can eliminate some of this problem,” O’Brien said. She plans to present the petition to the county commission in the coming weeks.
Hard Rock patron Kim Gerlich said she recently parked in the neighborhood to avoid paying the casino’s $10 parking fee, but found her car vandalized when she returned. “We came out and there was like brake fluid or oil on our windows and on our side. We couldn’t even see to drive. I had to put the window down. It was really unsafe. I think there should be some sort of validation and that would alleviate a lot of the problems. It’s a public street. If there were signs that said it, I would abide by it,”
Seminole Hard Rock spokesperson Gary Bitner said the casino also has been willing to work with the residents, casino security and the sheriff’s office to make the situation “a win-win for everyone.”
