What is the difference between a Villager and a puppy?
A puppy eventually stops whining!

I am saddened that Katie Bells is closing...I doubt I will attend anything at the Sharon...I don't believe Valet parking is going to be a profitable business in TV.

It will be interesting to revisit yours and other posts in a year to see what impact actually occurs.

Part time? What does that mean?

Unless you are part of the rich and famous, you will be walking from the back of the parking lot to the Sharon. If the developer had a hart, he would provide FREE shuttle service for those that can't walk that far.

"Free shuttle" ? Who is going to get a vehicle and volunteer to sit out in the heat, rain, cold, etc. just incase someone needs a ride ? Or do you mean free and the developer will pay for it? Really ??

I disagree. If someone spends $150 for a pair of tickets, another $10 isn't going to matter. It's not a yard sale. You're going out for the night. Enjoy your blessings.

Heartless Developer??

add that comment for me too

The valet parking in theory is a great idea. My question is what happens when a show ends and 1000 people come out and want their vehicles?

In regard to the article about “testing” a valet parking service, I wonder who will benefit and who will lose out.

The charge for this service is purported to be $5 for golf carts and $10 for cars. The company representative said that the price is low when compared to other valet services. I may have seen an extra charge of $2 or so added to the parking fee but this is usually to assure that the valet gets a minimum tip. The same is true for venues that have free parking. Speaking of tips, the proposed valets had better be well paid because I don’t see anyone adding a tip.

In the diagram, that accompanied the article, it showed that 5 parking spaces (15 for golf carts – 3 carts parking perpendicular per space) would be lost to allow for dropping off the cars. Where will the valets park the vehicles in their care? Will they drive around and look for spots or will there be a large reserved area in the nearby parking lots? If the latter, then the result is a much greater loss in parking spots - maybe 20, 30 or even 40 spots that become unavailable to the public. All of this is added to the usual loss of parking spots on Market Nights. By the way, if they do set up a reserved area for the valets to park (I assume young men and women in their 20’s), I hope they have the good sense to rope off an area in the furthest corner of the lot and not make the rest park further away from the square. .

Having lived in large towns and cities, it has been my experience that when government imposes fees or taxes on an activity or product, it is because they want the added revenue or they want to reduce access to activity or both. The objective in this “test” is unclear. Is it to raise revenue? I laud the developer and the management team for their business acumen and entrepreneurship. But this seems to be squeezing nickels and dimes which, to me, is way beneath them. Is it to reduce the number of people coming to the squares? Why only Spanish Springs and Lake Sumter Landing? Is it to get more people to consider going to Brownwood? None of these reasons seem fair to the merchants and vendors at Lake Sumter or Spanish Springs?

Here, at The Villages, we do not pay for parking. I’m afraid that this “test” will only be seen as paying an extra $10 for entertainment, dining or shopping at the squares. This will affect merchants around the squares who may see a loss of revenue and raise their prices to compensate. The vendors at Market Nights have the additional choice of not participating. Either way, it affects us all.

In answer to my original question, the owners of the valet company benefits, The Villages, by collecting fees from vendors, benefits. Possible losers are merchants and through them, the general population.

I urge everyone to assure that this "test" fails.

Pretty much the same when 900+ came out of the Church on the Square. Not a big traffic difference and I doubt that 1000 people will use valet.

the obvious answer is, if the service prospers there is a need for it, no need no service. In the past I have seen valet services using remote lots taxiing their people to the lot to return cars. Not knowing their plan I am not going to assume anything.

Sorry Fred, I will be one of those that will do what ever I can to make sure it succeeds. It's just another one of those services that some people will want to use and I resent you trying to infringe on my freedom, or the freedom of choices for others in TV, to choose what works for me.

:thumbup::thumbup:

Really, are you serious ?