by David Chapman
Staff Writer
They’re as abundant as the alcohol that flows at tailgate parties, the cheers at packed outdoor concerts and the sweat labored at construction sites. But for any part of putting on an event or securing a work site the portable bathrooms are just another part of doing business.
And for any event, it is a cost incurred — but always a necessary one.
“It really is a cost people don’t think about a lot when they think of what goes into events,” said Rachel Nudge, public relations director for the Landing. “But it’s there and always a part of the early planning.”
During events like the upcoming New Year’s celebrations and Fourth of July fireworks display, the Landing will inquire with the City’s Office of Special Events to see if there will be portable facilities around the Landing. But, during Landing-specific events such as annual concerts that have grown, Nudge said everything from portable toilets to sinks and sanitizer stations have to be factored into the budget, as they do add to the patrons’ experience.
“It’s not like we just put 25 (portable toilets) on each end of the Landing and call it a day,” said Nudge.
Instead, officials have to anticipate crowds and while Nudge said there is no official formula, the magnitude of the event does make a difference and the anticipated alcohol consumption is another major factor. For the Florida-Georgia game — generally considered the largest event of the year — the Landing usually brings in 75 such facilities and even converts its indoor bathrooms to women-only, making the men use the individual commodes. Anywhere from 30-40 will be brought in for Thursday’s New Year’s Eve and Friday’s Gator Bowl game.
Unlike the City, which has a yearly contract with an individual provider, the Landing shops around for each individual event for which it needs the portable necessities.
“We bid everything,” she said. “They can be pricey, so shopping around can really make a difference.”
There’s no shortage of local suppliers for the Landing’s nor any other business’ portable toilet needs, either.
“It’s a cut throat business,” said Aaron Green, vice president of Floaters Portable Sanitation. “There’s around four companies out there all competing for the same thing.”
Green, along with his brother, opened the business four years ago with great success until the construction and housing crisis began affecting their sales a little more than a year ago.
“Construction is slow and the economy has affected things,” said Aaron Green.
They offer a plethora of services — everything from standard portable toilets to VIP bathroom trailers — for special events and sites, though there are big differences in the two, explained Green. Industry formulas dictate the need, he said, with construction sites needing a facility for every 10 workers on site while events are short-term and need one for around every 75 people in attendance per day.
The construction halt hasn’t been felt by Green alone, as Jane Moon of Portable Sanitation & Services laments.
“It’s steady,” said Moon, an office manager for the local provider, “but not having new construction has an effect.”
Weddings, holidays and other outdoor events are still viable sources of the portable facilities business, though like their competition, Portable Sanitation offers VIP bathroom trailers, showers and sanitizing stations.
While the companies are just two of the local providers, neither renders services to the City (United Site Services is the provider, with company officials unavailable for comment), officials keep tabs on when contracts are set to expire or when the latest company puts out requests for proposal bids
“They’re all active,” said Nudge. “It’s a business, they have sales people who call just like other service providers ... they’re on top of it.”
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