Photo: Greg Reyna/ Media city G — Entrance to parking lot next to the old Great Indoors building at 1300 North Victory Place blocked off with Burbank Police on guard Burbank June 16, 2015
Updated June 18, 2015: Apparently a side parking lot at the Empire Center did remain open for several hours last Tuesday night. Some shoppers and restaurant diners were lucky enough to find that lot and space to park their vehicles. More details on Myburbank.
The anticipated flash mob car show and all that comes with it did not go down at Burbank’s Empire Center on Victory Place last night. The entrances to the large shopping center were blocked off by late afternoon. Car enthusiasts as well as shoppers were shut out of the main lot. As a result, “traffic was nuts,” according to Media City Groove photographer Greg Reyna. Meanwhile, the custom car lovers apparently used social media to switch their meet-up to another location — Puente Hills Mall in City of Industry.
The Krispy Kreme at the Empire Center closed up at 4 p.m. and private security guards blocked the parking lot entrance.
Photo: Greg Reyna / Media City G — Krispy Kreme outlet closed at 4 p.m. in the Empire Center in Burbank June 16, 2015
While the custom car crowd and store customers had to go elsewhere, the media set up in the nearly empty parking lot of the Empire Center.
Photo: Greg Reyna / Media City G — Media trucks parked in the nearly empty Empire Center lot in Burbank June 16, 2015
Photo: Greg Reyna / Media City G — Plenty of empty spaces in the Empire Center parking lot in Burbank June 16, 2015
A lot of money was spent for private security and by the city for law enforcement resources — including a report of a SWAT team waiting behind one of the buildings. Oh, and don’t forget, the lost revenue for the Krispy Kreme and other businesses impacted by the parking lot shut down. Ya gotta wonder if this tactic was a smart move or an overreaction.
