The cost of living continues to rise. However, the low wages here remain the same. The hospitality industry is one of the worst. There are not enough jobs for the locals. However, they bring in the russians and give them a steady job. Dixie Stampede is a huge money making theatre for owner Dolly Parton. However, the starting pay is $7/hr. The other theatres here pay around $8/hr. These owners should be ashamed of themselves, as they live in their multi-million dollar homes. I have spoken with people employed with their jobs for many years. Not one of them has ever received a pay raise. These employees were very dedicated and hard working. Many people are forced to work 2-3 jobs just to put food on their table. Something needs to change!! (Wednesday Aug 27 | post #4)
Nick, here's what happened with the shift issue. The very first night of training was totally disorganized. They asked each employee to complete a form with the hours/days they were or were not available. I was available any day of the week. However, I could only work afternoons and evenings. The following week I discovered they scheduled me from 8-6. There were several other issues that made me realize the job wasn't for me. The point I was trying to make was, that HRP was totally disorganized from the beginning. (Monday Aug 18 | post #75)
I recall the news station WPDE reporting earlier this month on HRP. They stated that there were 100 employees from HRP laid off. I thought that the Sun news reported the same figure....possibly I am incorrect. I also work for a hotel that is partnered with the HRP. We were told in July that 100 employees were laid off back then. I sold alot of tickets to HRP from the hotel where I work. (concierge desk) No commission is involved. Tourist's have been very excited about the park. Most did not even question the cost of the tickets. Some acted shocked when told the childs price was also $50. But, most still came up with the money. However, they all inquired about "discount " tickets. We have sold more HRP tickets then any other attraction here. HRP appeared to be an interesting concept. All the hype about being the first "rock & roll" theme park in the country. But they opened before they were ready. Many rides weren't running yet. In my opinion they hired too many employees. The management behind the employees was/is weak. They'll have to make alot of changes in order to survive. (Sunday Aug 17 | post #44)
Issac, maybe the sun news should work on obtaining some facts from HRP. We continue to receive conflicting articles. Twice I have read that 100 employees were laid off. First in July and then earlier this month. Now you are stating that 25-30 were laid off. But then again HRP doesn't want anyone to know the facts. I know first hand that many employees quit HRP. I was one of them. I quit after attending two training sessions for their guest service office. It was very obvious that the young managers had zero experience. They had months to prepare for the training and still were totally disorganized. They refused to give you the shift that you requested. They offered us no discount for us or our families. Started everyone at part-time so they did not have to provide the health benfits. All they talked about was providing "Kick **** " service to the guests. I recently met a woman who told me her sons experience as an employee. One time they went without a pay check for 3 weeks. Another time they were overpaid by $500. Then the amt. removed the next paycheck. Demanded every employee work 12 hr. shifts. She told the park she did not want her son working until midnight or 1am....they scheduled him anyway. The park made a very bad impression on many people....I am not surprised at the outcome. (Sunday Aug 17 | post #11)
I hope all of the residents and their homes are safe today. (Jun 13, 2008 | post #2)
Are we ready to HALT all Bike events during May?
Same ole same ole, who in their right mind would want to stand up to gang members? I assure you that many of the bikers our indeed very dangerous. I know people that have lived in the areas these bikers come from. And to the poster that felt the black bikers need events to attend. They do have planned events...but the turn out isn't very good. Take the race area that was reopened for the event. They thought thousands of bikers would attend. Instead there was a very small turn out. It's obvious the NAACP has made this whole thing into a huge racial matter. Setting up the hotline, threatening and suing business's every year. This gave the blacks even more reason to seek out trouble. I did not know Corey Brooks. But I cannot stop thinking of his family having to bury their son today. His friends that witnessed his life being taken away. Whatever it takes to get rid of BBW for good is the only solution here. (May 28, 2008 | post #17)
SHOULD THE BLACK BIKE FEST BE STOPPED?
Hey liz, you're from Atlanta? They stopped the bike week there for some reason right? How can you say that we don't have a "right" to say it should be stopped. We live and work here at the beach. Some of us moved here to enjoy the beauty of the beach. We are proud of our area and don't like to see it trashed. Try reading all of the posts for this years bike week. Read about the damage done to many businesses. Read employees personal experience serving the bikers. No tips, abusive language. Every time I went out the bikers were speeding, weaving and showed no respect for anyone!!!! You stated "alot of money is spent during bike week." Yes, alot of money is spent cleaning up what these bikers destroyed. They walked out without paying for meals. One restaurant had a large party who walked out on $400 worth of food. Don't try and tell us "like it or not." We don't want the any tourist coming here that will cause as much damage as these black bikers do. And I am sick to death of the whole "racial" BS already. Sick of the NAACP threatening us with their lawsuits. They DON'T LIVE HERE and HAVE NO RIGHT to any money from us. If we came to your town and disrepected you and your city....would you want us back? The black bikers think they are such bad **** . Read the post above from good old bad boy. We will stand up for our rights and not back down on this. We have plenty of good family people that will visit our city and respect it. And yes, that brings in plenty of money. (May 26, 2008 | post #18)
My thoughts and prayers go out to Cory's family and friends. I am deeply sorry for your loss. (May 25, 2008 | post #44)
Hey Reality...it's not about "a few blacks" as you stated. There are thousands of them here acting in the same manner. The way I see it this is a free for all. There are NO RULES for them to follow. They BREAK LAWS every second. As other locals have posted here they are not welcome and we are sick of their behavior. So, if you don't live here you haven't a clue what we are forced to endure. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. My boyfriend and I drove to the area of the old pavillion last night. Now I totally understand why other locals here remain at home during BBW. Thousands of blacks acting obnoxious, rude, vulgar, drinking etc. We made our way through the crowd without bothering anyone. The majority of the females look like hookers with their fashion statements. The guys look and acted like thugs. They refused to move an inch to allow us to pass by them. When I did have room on the sidewalk a black bitc$ slammed into my shoulder. It really hurt as I have an old injury. I turned around thinking she would say she was sorry. That's what most people do when they run into someone. This was no accident. I am alot older then this crowd. I am disgusted with the city of MB for allowing these **** HOLES to ruin our holiday weekend. Not only that they came 4 days before the event was due to start. I will be contacting every city leader I can. I hope that we can bring the "families " back to the beach for the Memorial holiday. MB looks like a ghetto right now. Screw all of you that call us racists. This is our home where we make a living. How would you feel if you were subjected to these people every year? Oh, and yes trash is everywhere. Who do you think has to pick it up when they leave? It's not the NAACP I assure you. (May 25, 2008 | post #47)
Kaycee, your story should be published on the front page. My sympathies go out to you and your brave employees. No person should have to endure what you are going through. This bike week crowd is insane and so out of control. This is obvious from your story, as well as others posted every day here. Hey No lo...stick your racism crap where the sun don't shine. The cash registers are ringing and the blacks are walking out the door without paying. Wake up bud and smell the urine all over the place. Took a ride on 501 yesterday. Red Line was packed with them. Cops could be seen chatting in a group. Some law enforement we have! Why weren't they out in the crowd? Bikers on 501 were going at a high rate of speed...yet no cops to pull them over. Normally cops are out there pulling us locals over for seat belt violations. Bikers were riding the white line and weaving through the cars. My boyfriend and I took a walk to the beach. We had never witnessed BBW first hand. We saw nothing but rude, obxnoxious and disrespectful black people. There was one section of the sidewalk that had enough room to pass. But instead I got shoved very hard by a black bitc$. I turned around thinking she was going to apologize. I am old enough to be her mother. We saw people drinking from huge vodka bottles in plain site. The females were dressed like hoochie mamas looking as usual. Dudes looked and acted like thugs. Refused to move an inch to let us get by on the sidewalk. And you wonder why we don't welcome this group with open arms! We did manage to savor a nice walk on the beach and try and escape the madness. Had some good food at Marvins on the beach. There were a few decent tourists in there. I agree with the others that said the National Guard should be brought in. The huge crowds we saw could never be handled by the handful of cops we saw. (May 25, 2008 | post #128)
The posters from out of state just don't get it. They don't undertand how this particular bike rally is truly out of control. Each year it gets worse. Unless you live here and work here you'll never understand. Our lovely area is turned into what looks and sounds like a ghetto. The bikes are racing (speeding) down the streets. The females on the backs of the bikes wear very little clothing. We don't like looking at your bare **** es!! Or your boobs hanging out all over the place. There is trash every where..and it's only the 2nd day of the rally. Then we have the NAACP breathing down our necks. I honestly find their comments quite amusing. I'd like to advance all of your colored people out of town right now. We welcome tourist's all the time here. Many of us take care of them as our careers. I have met so many nice and respectful tourist's. But this group of tourist's is very different. They show no respect for us and certainly not for our city. The NAACP should come and clean up the mess these pigs leave behind. Pay for all the damage they do to the hotels, pay for the meals they walk out on, pay the employees a hefty bonus for putting up with the abuse. So please, if you don't live here let us vent. Let us figure out a way to convince our city leaders to end this rally for good. VA and GA did it and so can we. (May 24, 2008 | post #29)
Officers injured in scuffle with biker
White on White, if it's supposed to be a weekend...why did they start arriving on Mon.? The unfortunate thing is, that we have to deal with them longer then planned. Their rally is supposed to start Fri. (tomorrow) and end Tues. And reading this article proves there is already trouble. I have worked at hotels and the rates go up for everyone Memorial weekend. Of course the NAACP sees it as a whole race issue. Screw them!! As a tourist town we lose so much income due to this particular rally. They keep returning to MB because the city allow the rally to go on. No they are not "welcome " here...because they are disrespectful. So many feel their behavior has alot to do with their age. I partially agree. But many of these black people were never taught the word "RESPECT. " I've worked with enough of them down here. At two hotels they would come into work drunk, and not do their work. Managers would just look the other way. Others would leave work and have their friends clock them out hrs. later. They stole tools, tvs....you name it from the hotels. At other place they were given a raise and worked less. They refused to get off their butts to clean the rooms for Harley week. I had a manager tell me that they wanted to fire them...but were afraid. So to me it's not just an age thing. It's the black folks crappy attitude that we "own" them. Respect us and our town and you will received respect in return. I haven't seen any cops ticketing these speeding crotch rockets. Saw some doing 85-90 over the 544 bridge. Come on cops...you're out there getting the locals every day. Where the hell are you? (May 22, 2008 | post #11)
Like what you see?
Create your own Topix Profile
