Atlanta's streets have become a "vending nightmare,"
according to the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. Sharon Gay, Deputy Chief
of Staff to Mayor Bill Campbell: "We were aware early on that
this might happen. But most of what you're seeing is private
property vending. We regulate it to some extent, but you really
can't tell people what to do on their own property." The city
has issued 3,000 vending permits in the last month alone, not
counting the 360 sites in public ways leased out by B.G. Swing
Games Management, through a city contract (Lyle Harris, ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 7/18). The "In Depth" segment on "NBC Nightly
News" examined the number of street vendors. NBC's Roger O'Neil,
who said $8M in permits were sold to vendors for the Games:
"It's a picture of clutter, where everyone is cashing in on the
Olympic Games. ... It looks like a cheap street carnival, a
hustler's paradise." IOC member Michael Payne: "The world is
looking at Atlanta and they're wanting to see a festival, not the
streets being turned into a bazaar" (NBC, 7/17).
