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The scene reminded James Evans of days he thought had passed.
Some Ybor City bar owners were saying the crowd from Club Bling, which caters to teens, was creating an unfriendly atmosphere in the entertainment district. Hip-hop guys and fly girls were spilling out of Club Bling after midnight and going down the street instead of going home.
A few of the owners complained to police. The result was mounted officers towering over youths.
"It reminded me of what took place back in the early '60s," said Evans, who knew a lot of the Club Bling kids from his work as executive director of Tampa Bay Academy of Hope. "The humongous horses were standing over and frightening children."
Police said they were just doing their job. The bar owners said their concerns were legitimate.
Evans viewed it differently.
"There wasn't a major problem with kids," Evans said. "There was no alcohol being served, no violence going on. Most of the kids were from Belmont Heights, Central Park and Tampa Park.
Last month, Evans and other community leaders such as James Ransom, City Council member Kevin White and Club Bling owners Linda Wilcox and Richard Doby met with Mayor Pam Iorio and other concerned officials.
At the suggestion of Evans, they crafted a plan to have mentors greet the kids at night's end and shepherd them home or until someone picks them up. To deal with the youngest kids, who were tagging along with big brothers and sisters, Evans circulated more than 2,000 fliers throughout various neighborhoods alerting parents to the problem.
Now most kids are getting home instead of getting arrest records. By adding sensitivity and understanding to the mix, it appears the problem has waned.
"We have to invest in children or we're going to have to invest more . . . in prisons," Evans said. "If that's the indicator of our growth, I'm worried. If we don't do anything, what will happen to those people."
By no means is it ideal to have these young teens mingling with inebriated patrons and scantily clad women carrying placards that scream, "2-4-1 All Night Long." Ybor might be the wrong locale, but these kids - and the teens in the rest of the county - deserve a place to hang out.
Helping youths is more than talk for Evans, and people are listening. Today, the Academy of Hope kicks off its sixth annual Skills of Hope Leadership Conference at the Hilton Tampa Airport. Kids will spend the next three days and two nights staying at the hotel with mentors provided by corporate sponsors, including Casper Corp. (McDonald's), Capital One, Outback Steakhouse, State Farm and Bright House Networks.
The agenda will feature a number of seminars addressing topics such as building self-esteem, etiquette, team-building and "the naked truth about sex." A self-esteem formal will be Saturday night. Gowns have been provided by the Tampa Police Department and formal wear companies have discounted tuxedo rentals.
The city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and agencies such as the Tampa Housing Authority and the Children's Board also contributed to the event.
Evans will spend the rest of the year tracking the kids and providing more counseling and training sessions. The emphasis will be on taking responsibility for life, family, community and education.
"If we see them as they are, they'll only become worse," Evans said. "If we look at them as what they could be, then they'll become what they should be."
My only problem is Evans isn't looking at as many kids this year. Last year, 200 went through the program. But budget cuts have reduced the number to 80. What a shame.
That's all I'm saying.
Ernest Hooper can be reached at 813 226-3406 or Hooper@sptimes.com