Mayor passes the Cher test; Ybor gets busy on image

Tampa columnist HOOPER E-mail: Click here Archive

© St. Petersburg Times
published September 4, 2002

Anyone who thinks entertainment and politics don't go together has never met Cher.

Just ask Mayor Dick Greco, who had an interesting encounter with the diva Monday night after her Tampa concert.

Greco went backstage to present Cher with a key to the city, but he might never have met her if he were a registered Republican. According to Greco, Cher said she only accepts such keys from Democrats. Other reports from the grapevine said Cher used a few colorful adjectives in expressing her partisanship.

A registered Democrat who has occasionally supported Republicans, Greco said he stayed mum about his politics when he handed over the key. He was later told Cher asked in advance whether he was a Democrat or Republican.

"She's 57 years old and she looks pretty good," Greco said. "I think she's a real inspiration to people."

Si Yboris the new branding slogan for the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce.

(Get it? See Ybor.)

That's just what Sandra Bragg has been doing for the last three months. Bragg, the chamber's marketing director and the head of Ybor City Main Street, made it her mission to see the city from all perspectives.

She's been at Centro Ybor for Tuesday Bike Nights and Fat Tuesdays for Thursday College Nights. She's walked the district at 10 p.m., midnight and 4 a.m.

"If I was going to address the concerns of the district, I had to live it and breathe it," Bragg said.

Bragg has help from the Hospitality Resource Panel, a new alliance aimed at bringing meaningful solutions to problems in the community. Last week, the panel brought together representatives from the Division of Alcoholic Beverages, Substance Abuse Prevention, Pepin Distributing Company, Tampa police and Tampa Fire Rescue to talk safety with club owners.

With school starting at the University of South Florida and University of Tampa last week, it was a good chance to talk about preventing underage drinking, identification procedures and the safe program that provides free rides to students who have overimbibed. Bragg said club owners are responding positively to the idea of marketing "an experience" while promoting a safe environment. After a discussion about image, one owner changed one of his advertising postcards, removing a picture of the backside of a thong-wearing model and replacing it with more conventional revelers.

Overall, Bragg said her nighttime sojourns have convinced her families are finding a place in the district before the younger crowd comes in after 10 p.m. She believes there's enough of Ybor to go around to everyone: daytime businesses, families and clubs.

"What we are is a community, and we're starting to feel it," Bragg said.

Correction: Although he has won the Masters three times, Tiger Woods is not a member of the Augusta National Country Club.

In case you're wondering, Deborah Davis of the Port Authority came up with the new Si Ybor slogan. She will be recognized at the Ybor Chamber's Sept. 10 luncheon.

Much has been made about underage drinking and the role Ybor City may be playing in the area. My impression is kids are drinking before they get to Ybor, and perhaps inside if they have gained entry with a fake ID.

Some have suggested making all the clubs 21-and-up, but I'm more inclined to believe the 18-21 crowd is better off in the controlled environment of a club.

If you take away all the entertainment options for young adults, they will be left to police themselves in homes, empty pastures and vacant parking lots. And their behavior there will go completely unchecked.

Give the clubs a chance.

That's all I'm saying.

-- Ernest Hooper can be reached at 226-3406 or Hooper@sptimes.com.

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