Is the Miami Parking Authority double dipping?

The Miami Parking Authority (MPA) is now charging tour buses to park in the bus loading zones! The International Society of Glass Beadmakers convention is in town and is expected to bring 500 guests to the Grove on Friday night. The buses are only dropping off and picking up in the allotted spots. But since the buses only get to stop at the spots in the day and the group is coming at night, the MPA is charging them $10 per spot (4 spots) plus a $20 administration fee. Talk about nonsense and overkill. It's summer, we need toursits, what is this crap?

The tour company is not amused, neither are the bead people, who are picking up the extra cost. They feel that the Grove does not want tourism and they are considering finding another location in the future. I was told this personally.

They spent all day today trying to make accommodations. Sheila, who owns the bus company, says that in the past, guests who were being shuttled in and out of the Mayfair Hotel were regaled to the bus spots down the hill at Peacock Park, near the NET office. They had to run back and forth in the rain to get to and from the buses. This is Sheila measuring the spots she has to pay for. Of course you see the MPA car parked free at the one spot. At least they are in the street this time and not on the sidewalk.

They do not want problems on Friday. They don't need to be harassed while the convention people are exiting the buses. Can anyone remember the Pow Wow just a few short months ago? Remember the rain? Guests are guests. Why can't we treat them as so.

Does this greedy behavior on the part of the MPA have to do with the $5 million that was squandered away last year on a toxic bond deal that the Parking Authority lost their shirt on? It seems that rather than admit the loss and call it a day, they feel that screwing the public is the way to recoup the money. Why not just fire the dolt who squandered the money, admit defeat and be decent human beings for a change? Is that asking too much?

The altercation this morning has affected the Grove's relationship with the International Society of Glass Beadmakers.

Sheila, the tour operator says these are VIP's and they want to be treated like that. They want to be dropped off in front of the gallery and treated with respect. If this is not the case, they will not be back to the Grove. This comes from the local tour operator, not the convention people. The tour company will not be gouged in order to bring people to the Grove. It's easier to bypass us than go to the MPA and spend the day there. This may be why we don't have much convention traffic in the Grove; lack of access and too much red tape.