GAMERS BOOTED FROM MIDWAY MALL
NewsChannel 5's Paul Kiska interviews a booted Gamer 
Mall officials, Mall Security, Best Buy Reps & EPD meet
Tom Welder shows TMC NEWS the list of 32 GamersGamers started lining up and camping out last night at Best Buy’s around the country so they could be the first in line to buy the new PlayStation 3. Most malls are allowing the gamers to pitch their tents and hang out until the PS3 goes on sale tomorrow morning at 10am, all that is except for our own Elyria Midway Mall. Mall officials had security move the gamers off the property last night telling them that they would not be allowed to remain on the mall property to wait for their PS3’s. Before making the move the gamers created a list in the order that they were positioned on the mall property so that things would be orderly tonight when they would be allowed back on the property. This afternoon other gamers started showing up and the gamers who were waiting in the Marc’s parking lot got nervous when they saw them setting up so they went over also. Midway Mall security then flagged down an Elyria Police Officer and asked for help dispersing the gamers from their property again.
Tom Welder of Elyria told TMC NEWS that Midway Mall management is creating a dangerous situation. “We did this last year for the X-Box and the mall and Best Buy honored the list. Last night and today the security officers were telling people that the line and list was across the street in the Marc’s parking lot. Now they are saying that at 10 tonight the spots will be given to the first ones to the door, no list will be honored. They are just asking for problems tonight, if they do this and people, who have been camped out here since last night, don’t get their spot, they are just asking for trouble.”
Rich White, 13 of Elyria, said that the Mall is being ridiculous. “Why is it that all the other malls let people set up and wait but our own mall won’t let us? Not a very friendly mall if you ask me.”
Another gamer said that he wishes Westfield never sold the mall. “They at least worked with us as far as the list was concerned. These people who took over, claiming they are our “hometown mall” could care a less about our hometown and the people who live here. I would hate to see if things get out of hand tonight.”
On a side note: When TMC NEWS arrived at the mall and began taking pictures in front of Best Buy a representative of the midway mall approached and said that the photos taken would have to be deleted immediately. Obviously we refused to delete any photos. The representative tried to get the Elyria Police Officer that was at the scene to order me to delete the photos, that didn’t work out for him either. I told him that if he was asking me to leave the property that I would be happy to do that but I was not deleting any photos. A note to the Midway Mall management, relax and try to work with the people in the community that you serve. Being a bully to gamers and photographers is not a very good public relations move.
Tom Welder of Elyria told TMC NEWS that Midway Mall management is creating a dangerous situation. “We did this last year for the X-Box and the mall and Best Buy honored the list. Last night and today the security officers were telling people that the line and list was across the street in the Marc’s parking lot. Now they are saying that at 10 tonight the spots will be given to the first ones to the door, no list will be honored. They are just asking for problems tonight, if they do this and people, who have been camped out here since last night, don’t get their spot, they are just asking for trouble.”
Rich White, 13 of Elyria, said that the Mall is being ridiculous. “Why is it that all the other malls let people set up and wait but our own mall won’t let us? Not a very friendly mall if you ask me.”
Another gamer said that he wishes Westfield never sold the mall. “They at least worked with us as far as the list was concerned. These people who took over, claiming they are our “hometown mall” could care a less about our hometown and the people who live here. I would hate to see if things get out of hand tonight.”
On a side note: When TMC NEWS arrived at the mall and began taking pictures in front of Best Buy a representative of the midway mall approached and said that the photos taken would have to be deleted immediately. Obviously we refused to delete any photos. The representative tried to get the Elyria Police Officer that was at the scene to order me to delete the photos, that didn’t work out for him either. I told him that if he was asking me to leave the property that I would be happy to do that but I was not deleting any photos. A note to the Midway Mall management, relax and try to work with the people in the community that you serve. Being a bully to gamers and photographers is not a very good public relations move.
TMC NEWS contacted NewsChannel 5 to come in and attempt to work out a solution between the mall management and the gamers. Watch tonight at 5 for Paul Kiska’s LIVE report from the mall to see if the management will change their minds.
To see all photos: CLICK HERE
posted by TMC NEWS at 2:49 PM
1 Comments:
Flash back - Summer of 1985 - Sears at Midway Mall still had TicketMaster. Bruce Springsteen was coming to Cleveland for his Born in the USA tour. Fans 'slept out' on line all night the night before tickets went on sale. All were orderly, having a great time, actually. Come the morning, here is Midway Mall's 'finest', trying to swing the line around so it didn't block Hibgees, etc. COME ON. People who had just showed up jumped on line. This poster was so crammed in between bodies, my feet didn't touch the ground for about 2 hours. Elyria Police were called, they even brought the dogs out. Thank goodness a friend who had slept out with me all night pulled me through and I got the last of the tickets when I had originally been 20-something on line. WAY TO GO MALL SECURITY!! Gamers, I feel your pain!!!
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