by Natasha Khairullah
Staff Writer
The Landing may want to reconsider its $10 entrance fee for next year’s Florida-Georgia weekend.
According to some Landing tenants, the doubling of last year’s cover fee just to get into the Landing Friday and Saturday may have kept some revelers away. It also may have cost some of the tenants money.
“It (the $10 cover fee) definitely kept some people out,” said Tamika Thomas, assistant manager of Nine West at the Landing. “I know a lot of people were complaining about that.”
Thomas and numerous other vendors — including Benny’s Steak and Seafood, The Toy Factory and J.B. Enterprises — all agreed that the fee may have contributed to less spending and perhaps even less patrons actually visiting the Landing.
Many of the restaurants and clubs fared well due mostly to the volume of people that flood the riverfront mall for the annual game. However, some of the tenants that don’t sell alcohol, food or game-related merchandise usually do well anyway. But this year they are reporting less-then-average sales.
“This year, it wasn’t like that,” said Teresa Barber, sales associate at The Toy Factory. “People were kind of just walking right past us. No one wants to spend $10 just to get in and then come in here and buy a toy.”
Landing officials could not be reached for comment.