Update 5/29/09: I just got a call from the head of security at the Oakridge Mall. He apologized for what happened with the closing of the parking structure and let me know that there was no instruction from mall management that the fourth floor should be closed. He let me know that he would follow up and find out which security officer it was that misinformed me about the parking situation.
Warning: I am cranky.
I went to the Oakridge Mall today, who is run by the Westfield Group. I did not go there to walk around, or see a movie, or to eat. I went because our local Target is there and I needed to get some household stuff.
The parking garage that is adjacent to Target has four floors, I have noticed on weekdays, the fourth floor is usually closed. I am not sure why, but it is. Today, I drove all the way to the third floor, heading for the fourth because the whole first three floors were packed. I was confronted by cones that blocked off the ramp to the fourth floor.
People were doing u-turns (not an easy thing to do in that cramped space). When I got to the cones, being the pragmatist I am, I removed the cones and drove up the fourth floor -- why not? I am here to shop at Target, the fourth floor is empty.
I was greeted by a young security officer who told me to turn around and go back down. The mall management had declared the fourth floor unusable until after 5pm.
What the halibut?
First, it is the long Memorial Day weekend. I was not at the mall to shop, eat or see a movie -- but, by the way the structure was packed, there sure were a hell of a lot of people who were there to do those things. Why in all their wisdom did the mall management close off the fourth floor of a parking structure on a busy and long holiday weekend?
Only one good reason: Total mall management fail on the part of Westfield Group.