[digginfool]

The Tower Shoppes in the Town of Davie, Florida took a different approach. They realized that cruising and hanging out in parking lots is an American tradition. Towns like Elkhart, Indiana have cruising traditions dating back to the '30s. With these cruise gatherings come consumers. For the past 20 years, every Friday night you will find hundreds of cars with several thousand participants and spectators in the Tower Shoppes' parking lot. They generate revenue by charging $3.00 per car and the Davie Police Department ensures safety. In the meantime, the restaurants and other shops in the center enjoy a concentration of people that spend money. Sometimes you have to think out of the box and turn aggravation into income. Maybe the City of El Paso wouldn't be chasing these gatherings from parking lot to parking lot if an enterprising shopping center owner would embrace the gathering and enlist the local PD to assist in maintaining control.