Storm of Delegates, Not Isaac, Worry Locals

Doug Graybill and Kelli Albares evacuated their downtown Tampa condominium this week and headed for a St. Pete Beach inn to avoid the storm.

It's not tropical storm Isaac, churning toward Florida, that worries them.

The couple wants to avoid the storm of delegates, media and security flooding downtown Tampa for the Republican National Convention, Aug. 27-30.

"We're having to show ID just to get into and out of our own house," said Graybill, a dentist whose home is at the Towers at Channelside.

"We live at Ground Zero," said Albares, his fiance.

The couple has been commuting to their Tampa offices from the coastal Great Heron Inn, just to avoid disruptions from the RNC.

A security zone set up around the Tampa Bay Times Forum, the RNC site, has upended routines, temporarily shut some businesses and caused delays for people who live and work in the heart of downtown Tampa.

"Security and police and the FBI have been in our garage," said Albares, who works in the real estate industry. "Getting around is difficult. We were delayed trying to grocery shop at Publix."

Friday morning, the couple seemed in no hurry to get to work. They strolled along the Gulf beach and watched work crews erect tents behind St. Pete Beach hotels, in preparation for parties for RNC visitors.

Five St. Pete Beach hotels are accommodating some of the visitors, from delegates to media.

Judi Soellner and her daughter, Daphne Soellner, relaxed on the beach behind the Sirata Inn Friday morning, where delegates from Minnesota and New Jersey were scheduled to stay for the convention.

The women, who are from St. Petersburg, were making the most of their beach staycation. But the two said they wanted to get home before RNC visitors started flooding their hotel.

"We want to leave before the delegates descend," Daphne said. "We'll be leaving just as they are arriving."

But the women said they weren't worried about the forecast for rainy weather from tropical storm Isaac, headed toward Florida.

"I really haven't paid much attention to it," said Daphne, lying back on a beach chair. "I don't obsess about the weather."

Likewise, Richard and Stacey Donnan weren't worried that Isaac would drench their Florida vacation. The couple, who is from England, drove from Disney World to St. Pete Beach Friday morning, so their two boys could take a dip in the Gulf.

"We're used to bad weather in England. We have storms with 100 mph winds," said Richard. "We don't call them hurricanes. We call them gales."

The Donnans said they realized that their Florida vacation coincided with the Republican National Convention. But Richard said a Florida vacation was too hard to resist.

Taking their two sons to Disney World and spending a few days on St. Pete Beach is more affordable than their other vacation choice: a week in the south of France.

"It's much cheaper here," Richard said.