[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

I am against the practice of roping off or in any other way holding a section of seats at the various town squares. I think this is rude, selfish, inconsiderate, and wrong and I want to see a policy to bring it to an end. We all pay for those seats and I believe all seats at the squares should be available on a first come, first serve basis, with one seat for one person. This is in no way intended to prohibit a person from saving a seat that has already been taken while that seat occupant is otherwise engaged and away from the seat for a short period of time. I don't care if you're having a class reunion, neighborhood gathering, or the family is in from up north or whatever other reason you feel is justification for inconveniencing the rest of us. Seat holding of large groups when the occupants are not there is wrong and unfair and must end.

Therefore: I petition that The Villages Entertainment Division establish an official policy prohibiting the roping off or in any other way holding or making unavailable to the general public seats for persons who are not currently there to occupy them.

Furthermore, I petition that The Villages Entertainment Division post easily visible signs in multiple locations at each of the town square venues stating this new policy in easily understood language, and that this policy be announced multiple times during each evening at each of the town square venues.

Furthermore I petition that The Villages Entertainment Division employees and/or the applicable sheriff's office enforce this policy each evening.

If you agree with this petition then please post stating that you agree. Any who disagree, please feel free to express your disagreement here as well. Hopefully it will all be reviewed by The Villages Entertainment Division and action will be taken to resolve this issue.

I love the petition. I might change a bit of the wording, but the overall idea is right. The problem is that just posting on here will not be enough. I think that we need to create an online petition that people can sign into with their names and addresses. I don't know how that's done, but I'm sure there must be an internet tech savvy TOTV member that could set it up for us. Then we'd need to get the word out to all of our neighbors. We'd have to bring it up to every club that we belong to and at every activity we participate in. I don't think that there are enough TOTV members alone to get the attention of the entertainment dept. We need to get 100,000 people involved.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

I agree with you but there is no upside for the Villages Entertainment to do this as it potentially puts their employees in a confrontational position with a customer. Roping off seats does not impact revenue or safety and does not violate any laws. I have only seen them enforce "no chairs is the aisles" as this is a safety issue. It is obnoxious behavior but I don't think you will see any changes being made. We always bring our own chairs and get there early if it a group we want to see. In a another month it won't be as much of a problem.

The upside for the entertainment department is to prevent confrontations between residents or other audience members in the squares. Eventually a physical confrontation is going to break out between people who rope off the seats and someone who removes the ropes. Add a few people in the area who have had a few adult beverages and it could possibly escalate into something bigger.

I doubt that the entertainment department or the The Villages or the merchants surrounding the squares would want the negative publicity that would go along with such and incident.

Remember ho the sex on the square incident made the national and international news? Imagine what fun the press would have with a bunch of seniors rioting while Scooter the DJ played on.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by justjim

Cedwards38 I agree with you "roping" is for cowboys---not Villagers. Actually, this would be fairly easy to enforce. All you need is a staff person at the Square early and let people know in a nice way that "roping" is not allowed. 99% will comply and the other 1% you call security. Problem solved.

I agree. 1% may argue, but people will tend to be much less confrontational with a person in authority than with just another audience member.

Has anyone ever wondered if some of these people who are roping off seats are from outside The Villages? I know the squares are open to everyone, but I wonder if people are coming from another development, since many believe that they have the right to all of the same amenities as Villagers and roping off the seats.

[Boudicca]

Agree with the idea to stop roping. I too have gone to the square late afternoon thinking I'd find a seat in which to enjoy Scooter, only to find "the best" seats, roped off. If people only used the chairs, it wouldnt irritate so much, but often the roped seats sit vacant for a good part of the entertainment. I suppose the "ropees" went to supper, first.

[Cedwards38]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I love the petition. I might change a bit of the wording, but the overall idea is right. The problem is that just posting on here will not be enough. I think that we need to create an online petition that people can sign into with their names and addresses. I don't know how that's done, but I'm sure there must be an internet tech savvy TOTV member that could set it up for us. Then we'd need to get the word out to all of our neighbors. We'd have to bring it up to every club that we belong to and at every activity we participate in. I don't think that there are enough TOTV members alone to get the attention of the entertainment dept. We need to get 100,000 people involved.

Dr. Boogie is probably correct. I did a Google on "online petitions" and found no less than ten sites where one can be created for free, so if enough support is demonstrated on this thread, I'll try my best to set one up and include a link.

Maybe it will work and maybe it won't, but it certainly won't work unless we try.

[tuccillo]

A confrontation that made national news might actually force the Villages Entertainment to act. At that point it becomes a safety issue and might be viewed as possibly impacting home sales. I don't believe most organizations are proactive enough to act before an incident happens.

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

The upside for the entertainment department is to prevent confrontations between residents or other audience members in the squares. Eventually a physical confrontation is going to break out between people who rope off the seats and someone who removes the ropes. Add a few people in the area who have had a few adult beverages and it could possibly escalate into something bigger.

I doubt that the entertainment department or the The Villages or the merchants surrounding the squares would want the negative publicity that would go along with such and incident.

Remember ho the sex on the square incident made the national and international news? Imagine what fun the press would have with a bunch of seniors rioting while Scooter the DJ played on.

[tuccillo]

In my opinion, a better approach is to form an ad-hoc committee to produce a presentation to the Villages Entertainment. This presentation would include pictures/video of roped off seats and a clear demonstration of how the existing policy isn't be enforced. It would also include specific language changes, if there are any, to the existing policy. If the Villages Entertainment fails to act then I would try the petition route. I say this because I feel you need to give the Villages Entertainment a chance to act once a coherent presentation is made (instead of a few phone calls). Call me naive but I would try this approach first. And, no, I am not volunteering to do this.

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

Dr. Boogie is probably correct. I did a Google on "online petitions" and found no less than ten sites where one can be created for free, so if enough support is demonstrated on this thread, I'll try my best to set one up and include a link.

Maybe it will work and maybe it won't, but it certainly won't work unless we try.

[otherbruddaDarrell]

Don't provide chairs and bring your own.

[Cedwards38]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

In my opinion, a better approach is to form an ad-hoc committee to produce a presentation to the Villages Entertainment. This presentation would include pictures/video of roped off seats and a clear demonstration of how the existing policy isn't be enforced. It would also include specific language changes, if there are any, to the existing policy. If the Villages Entertainment fails to act then I would try the petition route. I say this because I feel you need to give the Villages Entertainment a chance to act once a coherent presentation is made (instead of a few phone calls). Call me naive but I would try this approach first. And, no, I am not volunteering to do this.

That is a very wise and measured approach to solving the problem and I thank you sincerely for the suggestion, however, this is not a new issue. It's been going on for years and I'm sure that The Villages Entertainment group is fully aware of the problem. I'm told they actually have a policy that prohibits "roping" and all its other iterations, but they do nothing to enforce it. Maybe this petition is really more for the various sheriff's departments as they would also be involved in enforcement, but I'm sure they will not get involved unless specifically requested to do so by The Villages Entertainment.

[tuccillo]

Implicit in my suggestion is the opportunity for several people (the committee) to essentially question, in person, the Villages Entertainment as to why the existing policy is not being enforced. At that time, the committee could also ask about the escalation path. Some things are best done in person and the issue here is accountability - there is apparently a rule on "the books" that someone is choosing not to enforce. It isn't clear to me why the Sheriff's department would be involved as it isn't a law enforcement issue.

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

That is a very wise and measured approach to solving the problem and I thank you sincerely for the suggestion, however, this is not a new issue. It's been going on for years and I'm sure that The Villages Entertainment group is fully aware of the problem. I'm told they actually have a policy that prohibits "roping" and all its other iterations, but they do nothing to enforce it. Maybe this petition is really more for the various sheriff's departments as they would also be involved in enforcement, but I'm sure they will not get involved unless specifically requested to do so by The Villages Entertainment.

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by shrandell

Agree with the idea to stop roping. I too have gone to the square late afternoon thinking I'd find a seat in which to enjoy Scooter, only to find "the best" seats, roped off. If people only used the chairs, it wouldnt irritate so much, but often the roped seats sit vacant for a good part of the entertainment. I suppose the "ropees" went to supper, first.

I think the whole interior dance and seating space of the square should be roped off until 4:30, when a chair could be handed to people as they walk in. They'd have to stand in line starting a half hour before, at 4:00, and if they cannot behave in line, they get booted to the back of the line.

Yes, event staff would have to be there to monitor the line and send the bullies to the back of the line, like babysitters. Babysitters are needed for bratty kids who can't behave on their own.

I think also that the entertainment dept. should charge $1 to everyone as they get a chair, and then at 7:00, have a drawing for half the amount collected, and put the other half toward the musicians' pay. Make a rule that the drawing winner must be present and seated in his/her chair.

People abuse what is free of charge! Watch a company like T&D Pools or Florida Lotto toss free t-shirts from the bandstand into the crowd, and you'll see 70-year-old CHILDREN grabbing a t-shirt out of the hands of another person who caught it and is holding it with both hands. It's appalling!!

[ditka41]

I agree with the need for the petition. If it's already a "rule" then enforce it. Why invite problems and confrontations? Implement something to stop the selfish, rude, maybe not even residents, from being so boorish. If you want a seat, be there first. Good suggestion about having to bring your own chairs and save the village the expense. The people who try to block out seats are also probably too lazy to carry very many chairs.

[Walt.]

If everyone has to bring their own chair, what does this do for the people on Life Style visits? What about the couple that has out-of-town guests... do they need to keep a half-dozen chairs around just in case?

[Sandtrap328]

Folks - There is NO major problem!

Rarely do you see large blocs of chairs roped together.

Can anyone say he saw a large group of chairs roped together with no one in them and they could not find a seat? Get there before 4:30 and there are plenty of chairs.

OR

Bring your own folding chair!

You have good entertainment. It is FREE. Enjoy it.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

Folks - There is NO major problem!

Rarely do you see large blocs of chairs roped together...

Doesn't have to be a "major problem" to be an issue. And I'm not sure what you would call "large blocs of chairs", but any more than just a couple with nobody present is enough to be an issue.

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

...Can anyone say he saw a large group of chairs roped together with no one in them and they could not find a seat? Get there before 4:30 and there are plenty of chairs...

Are you talking about a seat behind the band or on the side or way in the back? Maybe. If I get there at 4:30 and all the seats are occupied, so be it. But who wants to be there that early so they can get a less-than-quality seat and stare at an empty roped off section of seats until (or after) the show starts.

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

...OR

Bring your own folding chair!

Tell that to the more senior or physically challenged of our community.

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

...You have good entertainment. It is FREE. Enjoy it.

At least we agree on something.