The squares are owned/controlled by the developer. If the developer cared about this issue, it would be eliminated overnight.

Give us a call!

I did track down The Villages Entertainment

The Villages Entertainment * Special Events Department: (352) 750-5411
The Villages Box Office (automated): (352) 753-3229

It seems the enforcement falls under their auspices.

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In all the time that I have lived here, and all of the things that I have read on this forum and witnessed with my own eyes, there is very little that I can perceive about the developer that doesn't speak of deep thinking, planning and great wisdom and an eye for the bottom line. I like that too..


There are mostly people living here who are kind, fair, honest, trustworthy and community spirited. But it doesn't take many selfish and uncaring folks to mess up the best ideas and plans.


The developer has sold the entertainment company to a private company Every company has a financial margin for profit. It they hire people to enforce the seat issue, then there will be less money for the entertainment.


I see this issue as having been discussed endlessly by the people who can make decisions about it. Whether it would destroy the pleasant ambiance of entertainment at the squares to confront seat savers and enforce the rule or ignore seat savers.


I have met a lot of people who are very good with people and a few large strong men who could get the job done. It will not be pretty if the enforcement happens. I HATE confrontations.


I will wait and see how this will pan out..

Bump

OK, I agree with you and I hate the whole chair saving thing, but I'm pretty sure Edmund wasn't referring to people saving chairs in the village squares.

The picture in the on-line news showed 5 chairs "saved" with cushions and tied together. You could see in the picture there were plenty of stacked chairs for usage. Now, if there were no other chairs available AND no one was sitting in one or two, they are fair game to anyone who wants to untie them and put the cushions to the side.

No big deal and nothing to get worked up about.

Here is The Chicken Solution, which I must qualify by saying that I have no dog in this fight and have never been to entertainment at the Squares. The Chicken gets his music fix in smoke-filled honky tonks and blues bars.

Grant a concession to someone to provide rental chairs.

They could number their chairs and produce a corresponding laminated credit card sized ticket to accompany each numbered chair. This serves as proof of "ownership".

Charge $2.50 per numbered chair plus a reasonable deposit on each card.

Numbered chairs are reserved while unnumbered ones belong to whoever owns the butt that it supports.

Yeah, yeah...there are logistical issues such as manpower and having to wait in line for your card deposit refund, but who cares? That would be the problem of whoever gets the chair rental concession and the chair renter.

Words of wisdom.

it's not the management that fights over the chairs it is your neighbors feeling their needs are so important that they can disobey the posted policy and screw you.

Maapybe the management company should hire a off duty police officer to maintain the squares during the evening. Thinkmthat if an officer asked someone nicely they would not safe chairs.

This will work! :1rotfl:

Ignoring a problem , seldom solves it. These issues will cotinue to occur and probably escalate to more serious confrontations. If this were a one and gone issue, it might be ignored, but my experience tells me that trouble is coming. Someone will get hurt. Those who believe that they are entitled to unwarrented privilege are expressing the same line of arrogance as the "Friends of Lake Miona" A strong statement and prominent posting of signs by those in charge and some enforcement may reduce the probability of further trouble.

\\\\\\ I'm leaning to the left on this one.

We always bring our own chairs to the squares. If the square is crowded, I walk back to the cart for our chairs.

However, not all folks are able to carry everything and make it to the square safely. We understand everyone’s getting older and look for folks to assist. Someday hopefully we will be in their place and folks will help us out.

Folks that rope off chairs are simply selfish people that most likely been that way there entire life. It’s best to not get into confrontations strangers; you never can tell how it will work out. Safe is best!

Best Regards,
Dave & Jan

GREAT IDEA!!!!!! Post signs that say "NO CHAIR SAVING"!!!!!!!!!!!

I have found if you simply cut the string or rope that is reserving the seats with a 9" blade tactical knife that you carry in a belt sheath, usually no will will say anything to you.

First they came for a snowbird's chair, and I did nothing. Then they came for a Floridian's chair, and I did nothing. Then they they came for my neighbor's chair, and I did nothing. Then they came for my chair, and I had to stand all night.

Isn't crowd control, including enforcement of venue rules, a service to be provided by local law enforcement? I know I see cops at ballgames, fairs, and other places where people, alcohol, and temperaments are present.

That's very funny and one clever post. To you sir I say well done.
:bigbow:

With so many people moving in they should enforce no seat saving to avoid confrontations. I see lately it's becoming a problem at some clubs also

And put a small sign on the back of every chair that says No Seat Saving!

If the villages has policy of not saving seats at the centers, they should have a process in place for enforcing the policy.

From an ABC news story on seat saving on cruises;

Saving Seats at the Pool: OK or Not OK? - ABC News

My husband and I took a friend to Spanish Springs in August, there were four empty chairs right up front which we headed for. We weren't five feet away when a man in a big cowboy hat got up and waved us off. He said "these seats are taken" I said" we'll get up when they get here." Sat there for more than an hour and no one showed up. I'm not confrontational but that really annoyed me especially after telling my friend how "friendly" people in TV are. Perhaps that's the way to go? I will admit I was pretty nervous sitting there--didn,t want a confrontation. If someone had shown up after an hour I would like to think I would have stood my ground. It's time for someone to correct the situation before it becomes worse.

Indeed interesting. The problem I see is the fact that 14% of people think it's OK to "save" a seat indefinitely. It just galls me how rude people can be.

Thanks for sharing the interesting article.

Folks please remember this. The Squares are Public. Seat Saving is an announced policy i.e... They announce it at the beginning of the entertainments set to hope that people will just respect the announcement! Just like No coolers, No Pets in the square and please watch and control your children. Well how many of these policies are actually followed also! The only enforcement on public property is the Law enforcement for that area. Seat saving is a policy .. not a law and our local law enforcement will not respond to a seat complaint. They will however react to the complications (as was originally posted here). Folks remember you are dealing with not just Villagers but anyone who wants to attend these functions. That's why we have the announcements but lets face not everyone listens! so lets as Villagers, Take the higher road and before we yell, gripe or argue... remember they might not have heard the Announcement!

This is the same attitude that brings us, unauthorized parking in handicap spaces, talking in a theater, and illegally cutting down trees. Most of us don't like confrontation, but ignoring issues just allows them to escalate into violent outcomes. There have only been a few reported instances thus far, however, I suspect there had been many more , unreported.

The saving seats issues will never be resolved. Too many people who are inconsiderate or selfish, tends to ruin other's experiences, at the squares.

Human nature hasn't changed in 3,000 years and you expect it to start now?

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

On the other hand, a family member had too much too drink and a nice gentlemen, (Dan), offered to help carry him from his chair, to a car, as he was very unstable on his feet.

Some people are so nice.

BTW - I know what you are thinking, it wasn't me!!!!

No, but that is why we live by the RULE OF LAW, not by whatever whim any individual has at the moment.

So IF there is a rule (not a law) against seat saving, either enforce it or get rid of it.
As far as enforcement goes, my understanding is that the roads in the squares are public, but the square itself (where the seats are) is privately owned but OPEN to the public. This makes it similar to a retail store. If you behave inappropriately at Walmart, they can BAN you from entering, even though it is OPEN to the PUBLIC. If this is true, there certainly is an enforcement option, for both residents and non-residents

Well stated. I agree, and would add that at some point one incident will escalate into a catastrophe!

Maybe the young men are afraid that if they get up to assist then their seats will be stolen:-) Personally I have no problem of saving a couple of seats if the person for whom the seat was saved arrives on time when the music starts. But an hour later? NO! We have a group who loves to dance in the square so we bring our own chairs. And if someone tried to take MY chair the police would need to be called. Rude people bring their rudeness with them to the friendliest hometown. "Wherever I go, there I am". Just another sign of the times. Parents, please raise your children to be responsible adults!

saved seats
 

A solution, at 4:30 a village employee will remove all ropes pillows and any other marker of a saved seat ant place it in a large tub to be reclaimed at the owners convenience.

I do not think you will see that happen - too confrontational. The Villages Employees barely enforce no chairs in the "aisles", and that is a safety issue.

I think a small subset of community watch employees with LEO experience wearing an official looking uniform and carrying a nightstick and a taser would probably not be confronted

Sounds good. Something should be done if for no other reason than common fairness. Just seeing chairs tied together creates a less favorable atmospheres for the majority. All around bad situation just to satisfy the selfishness of a minority.

Like Idea & Another One
 

I like the idea of a person working for the Villages just take the stuff on bthe chair and put it in a basket for the people to pick up later if they were holding the seat. The other idea is to sit in the seat, if someone comes over to claim a saved seat tell them you are staying put AND remind them that in the State of Florida it automatically becomes aggravated assualt as opposed to simple assualt if you strike of hit or push a person over the age of 65 in Florida. And ask them if they really want to pay a stiff fine and go to jail as that will happen.
:ho:

Yeah well, what if the answer is YES, followed by a huge, ugly WHOMP?

On the other hand, we have hundreds of clubs in TV. Ever see the movie "Fight Club"?