[Source: Phoenix Beat Blog, Arizona Republic] — It’s a public building, but when it comes to the Phoenix Convention Center downtown, the public need not enter. A downtown businessman who has been using the center for his daily exercise routine was ousted from the three-building complex on Wednesday after spending the last five months walking its halls during lunchtime. According to the center’s spokeswoman, he should not have been allowed in the first place.
Turns out, there are only two areas where the public is always allowed — the food court in the north building and the atrium in the west building. “It has always been our policy to limit public access to restricted and closed areas of the facility,” said Cynthia Weaver, communications director. That apparently includes every square foot of space with the two exceptions.
Weaver acknowledged that none of the “restricted” areas are posted with signs noting the restrictions, and none are blocked by doors — except those areas that are obviously off-limits. Nor does the city post a public-access policy on the center’s Web site. Weaver likened the building to the White House, another facility owned by the public but where the public is not allowed to wander at will. [Note: Read the full article at Phoenix Convention Center cracks down on exercising.]
Downtown Voices Coalition 