With pillow and reclining lawn chair in hand, he arrived at the Kate Jackson Community Center at 10 p.m. Sunday to guarantee a spot for his kids in the summer camp program.
Registration didn't start until 8 a.m. Monday, and he was fully prepared to wait. He knew there would be a line snaking from the front door.
"THEY WARNED US," he said.
Eriksen had the place to himself for three hours. By 4 a.m., the parking lot was packed.
All of the parents came for the same reason: to get good child care at a cheap price.
Kate Jackson, like some other city rec centers, charges $70 to $80 a child for summer camp, which runs from June 1 until the start of school. That's about half of what the Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo and other programs charge per week.
"I'll appreciate it every paycheck," said Henry Livesay, the father of 5-year-old twins.
Livesay left his home in Carrollwood before 3 a.m. with a camping cot and Buccaneers blanket. Under the light of the full moon, he and a few dozen parents shared food in their coolers and burned through the coffee well before dawn.
ONE PARENT, worried she would be alone, brought a club to beat off any intruders. Another brought a laptop computer to check e-mails. Next year: barbecue grills.
A security guard opened the bathrooms at 4 a.m. and passed out tickets for the 50 available summer camp slots at 5. Anyone who arrived after that was turned away or signed a waiting list.
"This is insane," said Katy Gadsby, a 6:30 a.m. straggler.
Kate Jackson manager Pat Fowler expected the crowd. People like the new building and location close to downtown jobs. The upscale Hyde Park address doesn't hurt, either.
"I wish I could take 500 kids, but we can't," said Fowler, dreading the long day ahead.
The camp takes up to 200 children ages 5 to 17. Kids in the regular after-school program get first dibs, then the center opens it to the community.
Fowler likes to think the camp is so popular because of its programming, not its price. Activities range from arts and crafts to swimming lessons. On Wednesdays, the kids go rollerskating. They also take field trips to parks, shopping malls and, even, nearby Bayshore Boulevard.
But for many parents, money was clearly a motivator. Summer child care gets expensive, especially for large families. Even ones in Hyde Park.
Still, at $80 a pop, it's a bargain. Maybe too big of one. A lot of the parents admitted they could afford to pay more, therefore helping the city's bottom line.
"I feel like I just won the lottery," cheered one woman who got a spot.
The city of Tampa spends about $897,000 a year on summer camps and aquatic programs, which comes out of the Parks and Recreation Department's $33-million budget. Money from registration fees goes to the city's general fund, not directly to the department.
The city sets the summer camp rates by ordinance, said Linda Carlo, spokeswoman for parks and rec. Every rec center charges about the same, regardless of location - poor or rich. It's a community service paid through taxes.
Consider it like public schools. Everyone pays for them, even if they don't have kids.
At this point, the city has no plans to raise rates, Carlo said. She imagines a lot of parents would object.
Certainly, the group camped at Kate Jackson wouldn't be thrilled. But they'd probably be more rested.
THE LAST DROP: During AirFest last weekend, I was amazed by the size of MacDill Air Force Base. I couldn't help but wonder how South Tampa would be completely transformed if the base ever closed. The possibilities are endless.
