I used to go there a few times a year for some concerts visiting friends at USF or seeing a concert in nearby St.Pete. It started going to hell around 1999.
Exactly. We moved to Sarasota in '95 when it was a sleepy, old community. We'd go up to Tampa for dinner then hit Ybor and bar hop with people our own age. It was lots of fun but we always remembered to get out before midnight.
It changed for the worst around '99. I have no idea why. We never used to see it on the Tampa news but, now, hardly a week goes by without something bad happening there.
Fortunately, Sarasota has developed a vibrant night life so we stay local.