Thinks were pretty busy on the strip earlier what with downtown Trick or Treating and the Zombie Walk, but have quieted down in the past couple of hours. A recent interview on WSIL TV offers the two main viewpoints on closing the strip for Halloween for the past 15 years, with a temporary lifting of the closure in 2000 that resulted in significant amounts of damage to downtown businesses. Councilman Joel Fritzler presented the "keep it closed" viewpoint:
"I would say just keep it the same," says Fritzler.
The rationale there is that the city gave the students a chance in 2000 and they blew it. Once bitten, twice shy.
Meanwhile Sidetracks bar manager Bryan Woodruff offers the opposing opinion:
"Give the students, give the population a chance to prove they're different than the people who were here 10 years ago," says Sidetracks bar manager Bryan Woodruff.
Here the rationale is, why punish today's student population for the actions of those a decade ago? Closing the bars and university is a heavy load to place upon those who had nothing to do with the activities of a decade ago.
Besides, heavy snow and high winds will finish off whatever rioters leave standing anyway. But seriously, open it up-- it's hard enough on business around here.
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