Two examples of what can go wrong.
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From the online news:
June 2, 2016

A Village of Hillsborough man was arrested after a fight with a 72-year-old woman over a seat Wednesday night at Spanish Springs Town Square.

Bruce Raymond Benard of 3525 Nance Run is facing a charge of battery after he allegedly grabbed the woman’s wrist “very hard” and stomped on her left foot two times in an attempt to remove her from a chair, according to a report from the Lady Lake Police Department.

The woman told police she was at town square and observed some empty seating, so she took a seat. Bruce Benard confronted her about sitting in seats he had reserved for his friends and family and threatened to throw her off the chair if she did not move, the report indicated.

The woman said she told Benard she would move in a minute and that’s when the attack began, the report said.

The woman told police she felt like his arms were ready to come down on her.

When police interviewed Benard he said, “she should have moved and I have a right to stand up for myself and stand my ground.” He admitted to grabbing the woman.

Two witnesses confirmed the woman’s version of events.

Benard was booked at the Lake County Jail. He was released after posting $1,000 bond.
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Another from the online news:
May 24, 2016

Rocky and the Rollers remain one of the most popular acts in The Villages.

On Monday night, the popular band brought in a big crowd at Spanish Springs Town Square.

But there is a price to be paid for popularity.

Before noon Monday there was plenty of evidence of seat saving at the square. Numerous green chairs were adorned with towels, cushions, ribbons and even yellow crime scene tape hours before Rocky and his fellow musicians stepped on stage at the Gazebo.

Officially, “saving” seats at the squares is prohibited in The Villages.

Saving seats at the square twice ended in arrest this past summer.

A 65-year-old Water Oak resident on Sept. 9 was accused of pushing a 77-year-old Villager who dared to sit in a seat “saved” by the Water Oaker at Spanish Springs Town Square.

When the Villager attempted to sit in one of the “saved” seats, Gary Lee Herzhaft informed the Villager that the chair was “taken.” When the Villager ignored him, Herzhaft “jumped up and pushed (the man) back and jammed his fingers into the upper chest area,” of the Villager, according to an incident report from the Lady Lake Police Department.

Herzhaft told police that the “chairs were taken,” but denied pushing or poking The Villager.

Herzhaft is now serving a year’s probation as a result of that incident. He was also ordered to undergo anger management training.

A 70-year-old Village of Santo Domingo man paid a nearly $300 fine in Lake County Court after pleading no contest to charges of disorderly conduct and resisting a police officer. He had been arrested June 26 after he allegedly punched a man and insulted a supporter of the LGBT community who he accused of taking his seat near the gazebo at the square.
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:ohdear: Unfortunately it's true! You have never heard of a fight on a Square over seat saving? And I'm afraid more than one too! That's what happens when people say things like "I don't care what rules they have." and "I'll vacate when they show up." :icon_wink:

Perhaps there should be a rule on how many seats you can save? Or maybe there is one already?

Pick a number from 1 to 500......:1rotfl:

My take on this is that the person wasn't arrested for setting in a seat that someone was holding for other people, they were arrested for assault. Cite me the ordnance, law, code or whatever that says you can be arrested for setting in a chair that someone is holding for another person.

The only people who ended up with community service and probation were the people who committed assault against other people who were sitting down.

I've seen no incident report, news article, or op-ed about anyone who was given probation or community service for sitting in a vacant seat, whether "saved" or otherwise.

Not corrected yet. Not sure why you insist that county taxes are going into this. Tourism tax, yes. But we don't pay that, tourists do.

The topic is special VIP tickets for the Christmas tree lighting. It is not about seat saving. Please stay on topic.

Moderator

Not sure what Long Island Medium is and never watched it, but I do closely observe what is going on in the Villages. Simple observation over time spent in the Villages backs up that this never happened under the watch of Harold and Gary, but it is now. Perhaps more time should be spent observing what is going on in your home town then on watching Long Island Medium?

Not sure why your response seems to confrontational. i don't "insist" anything. Are you insisting that only tourists pay the tourist tax? Because you'd be incorrect about that as well.

Here's the actual text of the tax code:

So, not just tourists. Snowbirds renting for fewer than 6 months are supposed to be paying that too. It was my mistake to think that the county's sales tax also contributed to the entertainment (tourism) fund. It's your mistake to think that only tourists pay for it, AND it's your mistake to think that the tourism tax is not a county tax. It absolutely is a county tax. It's just not the county tax I thought it was.

These trees are all boring and colorless. Not much to get into the spirit of Christmas and certainly not worth going to see those dull white lights go on and pretend it's beautiful. And to pay for it? Out of the question.

Sitting in the seat created the assault.

Respectfully, when the title of the thread is so vague, "what's your thoughts on this," it's harder to remember the topic ... not that we're very good at this, anyway. Thanks for the reminder.

Making this none of my business makes my life better. I don't own the area in question. Hope it was fun! Interesting subject though. :ohdear:

I guess anyone can save seats and then sell them?????????

Not in the VIP tent..... but
You could sell the Brooklyn Bridge here and get someone to pay you in I-tune cards. :faint:

Last week I got a couple of good offers on sidewalk space in San Francisco. ;)

No tub, no toilet, no problem? :faint:

In 2007, we bought our house in The Villages.
We went to all the parades and every get together, including the Christmas Tree Lighting.
I assume in 2019, it will be even more crowded.

It’s not $80 a couple, only by choice.

Zero is the number.
But the moderator has already reminded us that this thread is about VIP tickets, not saved seats.

I think that your initial post is misleading.
I understand from reading posts on this thread, that there are still free seats available, just not in the VIP tent.

If I were to save a seat (and I can’t see why I would) I’d either turn it upside down (probably not allowed) or stack them and sit on the stack (probably not allowed) or.... (definitely not allowed!). However, I prefer to get along with my fellow Villagers so I would not say to them, “No, you can’t take that seat.” Talk about being antisocial.

The original topic was the VIP tent at Brownwood for the tree lighting. This is the perfect example of making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Here is a typical special event at Brownwood (The Mountain)


https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e8&oe=5E50A435

Here is the VIP used at the 4th of July Celebration at Brownwood (The Mole Hill)


https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c9&oe=5E585507

Anywhere else at the square besides inside that little tent, the grandstands, the folding chairs, the chair you bring from home, in your golf cart, at the City Fire Bar, on the dance floor, all those seats are still FREE!!!!!!

Nah, we are just having a bit of fun with the topic. If the Squares do not belong to the Villages, I don't see we can say much effectively about how they are used.

Here's a better look at it, some of you should feel foolish. If someone wants to pay $50 to sit in there, I see no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to. It's not even in a good location, stuck back between the bleachers near the sidewalk.

https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...d0&oe=5E846246

All squares are open to the public. It shouldn’t be allowed.

The squares are public access, just as your roads are. In other words, The Villages has no say who goes to the Squares or drives through your village.

While they are open to the public, they are not public property. The property is owned, and the owners can set up a tent and charge admission to that tent if they wish.

Might want to get educated first.

Exactly.


Somebody writes to the rag online news and all the whiners come out to play.

amen !!!

Residents of Continental Country Club should undestand that the squares, while 'open to the public', are not public property. The owner can choose to set up a VIP tent.

Now, this makes perfect sense.

Real Impact
 

The real impact for charging to sit in the Square's which were open to all regardless of living status now push towards a "pecking order" in the village's and the amount you pay for services is where you are in the pecking order. As far as the money goes does not mean anything to me. To know some would like to see the tree lighting can't because in a few years it will only be available to ability to pay. That is sad! This is absolutely a major change and the birth of a whole new way of living in the villages and future buyers should recognize these types of additional expense have taken the first step towards where you can afford the changing way of costs of living here. :ohdear:

No one is making anyone pay to see this. It is STILL free, and everything you got for free last year, will still be available for free this year.

They are charging for FOOD, DRINKS, and seating under a canopy at a table for crying out loud. You have to pay for that already now, so that isn't changing either.

If you turned the seats upside down then you could get 4 people on each chair. Just Sayin! Problem solved!

another Village rip off

Just so I know before we move there, what are the other Village's rip offs?