Community Corner

Storm of Delegates, Not Isaac, Worry Locals

One Tampa couple opted to head for St. Pete Beach to avoid the crush of 50,000 visitors.

Doug Graybill and Kelli Albares evacuated their downtown Tampa condominium this week and headed for a St. Pete Beach inn to avoid the storm.

It wasn't tropical storm Isaac that worried them.

The couple wants to avoid the storm of delegates, media and security flooding downtown Tampa for the Republican National Convention.

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"We're having to show ID just to get into and out of our own house," said Graybill, a dentist whose home is at the Towers at Channelside.

"We live at Ground Zero," said Albares, his fiance.

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The couple has been commuting to their Tampa offices from the coastal Great Heron Inn, just to avoid disruptions from the RNC.

A security zone set up around the Tampa Bay Times Forum, the RNC site, has upended routines, temporarily shut some businesses and caused delays for people who live and work in the heart of downtown Tampa.

"Security and police and the FBI have been in our garage," said Albares, who works in the real estate industry. "Getting around is difficult. We were delayed trying to grocery shop at Publix."

Friday morning, the couple were in no hurry to get to work. They strolled along the Gulf beach and watched work crews erect tents behind St. Pete Beach hotels, in preparation for parties for RNC visitors.

Five St. Pete Beach hotels are accommodating visitors, from delegates to media.

Richard and Stacey Donnan weren't worried that Isaac would drench their Florida vacation. The couple, who are from England, drove from Disney World to St. Pete Beach Friday morning so their two boys could take a dip in the Gulf.

"We're used to bad weather in England. We have storms with 100 mph winds," said Richard. "We don't call them hurricanes. We call them gales."

The Donnans said they realized that their Florida vacation coincided with the Republican National Convention. But Richard said a Florida vacation was too hard to resist.

Taking their two sons to Disney World and spending a few days on St. Pete Beach is more affordable than their other vacation choice: a week in the south of France.

"It's much cheaper here," Richard said.

Do you work downtown? How have you changed your routine to accommodate the Republican National Convention? Let us know in the "comments" section.


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