TAMPA, Florida – Tampa Mayor Jane Castor expressed frustration on Monday that people did not follow his executive order to wear masks in certain areas outside the city. The city distributed more than 200,000 masks, and places like Ybor City were packed with unmasked crowds of partygoers and concert goers during the Super Bowl weekend festivities.
“It is a little frustrating because we work a lot in cooperation with the NFL and the county and only with a number of different entities, establishing the executive order that masks should be used in specific areas that we knew the groups would be meeting,” said Castor, former Tampa police chief.
These areas included outdoor areas near Raymond James Stadium, in downtown Tampa and in entertainment districts, including Ybor City, the Channel District (Channelside) and the Central Business District. The order remains in effect until February 13. In addition, the NFL required the use of masks at all times within the stadium and at NFL events, unless you eat or drink actively.
Before the Super Bowl, masks were only required indoors. As of September 25, as part of the state’s Phase 3 reopening plan that allowed bars and restaurants to open at 100% capacity, Florida Governor Ron Desantis banned localities from collecting fines from individuals who did not use masks. Castor disagreed with the governor about this, believing that local municipalities should determine the most appropriate rules for their cities and counties. She had also previously disagreed with the governor about the reopening of bars and breweries.
Some local jurisdictions, such as Miami – the epicenter of the pandemic state COVID-19 – fought against DeSantis over this, but DeSantis signed an executive order prohibiting local governments from collecting fines from individuals, although private companies have the right to deny service to those who don’t wear masks. But some believe that the leadership above Castor, as well as a “vacationer mentality”, hampered Castor’s work.
“Yes, we saw some videos,” said Castor. “We saw some individuals who were not wearing a mask. And at this point, when dealing with COVID-19, there is a level of frustration when you see this. It can be passed on to those individuals who are less likely to recover safely.”
Still, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell praised the city on Monday for carrying out what the league considered a safe Super Bowl, calling it an “extraordinary effort” to host the event. Events that were sanctioned by the NFL, including the NFL Experience, which moved outdoors, and the fireworks along the Riverwalk, were well received.
“Really, the advantage is – most individuals understood the importance of wearing a mask,” said Castor. “They also understood their level of personal responsibility and we couldn’t have been successful without it.”
“At this event, a year ago, I don’t think any of us would have imagined the challenges that we would have to face,” said Goodell. “The positive attitude of the people up here [the Super Bowl LV host committee, Castor and Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan] and so many others behind them – it was truly an extraordinary effort. We always say, ‘It’s a team game’. This was a great team here. They really found a way to find solutions to difficult problems and they really showed that this community is a ‘can do’ community that can make things happen.
But the back doors around the stadium, malls, shows, bars and clubs not affiliated with the NFL had problems.
Tom DeGeorge, owner of Crowbar, a venue for live music, concerts and events in Ybor City, expressed frustration that other companies in his district had failed to comply. He saw how the NFL and the city put a huge effort into producing the Super Bowl on Sunday and at the NFL Experience, but he would have liked local businesses to have been able to get more help to crack down on violations and manage crowds, as he considers it to be insufficient. , despite the increased police presence.
“For months, you’ve had businesses in the area saying, ‘What are we going to do with the increased traffic in our district to keep our people safe?’ and this is not really being solved, this is a problem, “said DeGeorge, adding that he saw a number of local companies breaking the law, such as allowing dance floors and putting money over security.” You have to prevent many people from entering . We cannot pretend that these problems disappear, that when you have districts like Ybor and special events arriving in the city, we will not be placed in a situation where all of our health is at risk. “
“These places were packed, those people made a lot of money and I think it is very, very unfair to everyone else,” said DeGeorge. “I just think that, as a city, the story we wanted to share and the way we wanted to portray it is not necessarily what really happened here. And I think it’s a shame that we’re more concerned with PR than we are about how to really care of our communities and the people who live here. It’s very unfortunate. And it will happen again when WrestleMania arrives. “