RNC vs. DNC: Was downtown Tampa too closed off?

When the Republican National Convention rolled into Tampa, much of the downtown area was in a literal state of lockdown. "Downtown was like a ghost town last week," lawyer Gary Dolgin said.

During the RNC in Tampa, many delegates were frustrated with the transportation. More than 400 buses shuttled visitors around. And by boarding the buses near the Tampa Bay Times Forum, most never had the chance to go into the main downtown area; in fact, many delegates stayed in beach hotels in Pinellas County -- nowhere remotely near downtown.

As Democrats converged on downtown Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention, there was a more open feel. Delegates only used roughly 100 buses as they relied on light rail. With so many hotels in Charlotte's downtown area, most delegates stayed in the area. There was also a festival over the Labor Day weekend.

With both conventions over, some in the Tampa Bay area wonder why there was such a big difference in security presence and overall access. During a Tiger Bay luncheon in Tampa on Friday, those questions were posed to Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee and Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor.

"Most of downtown was open," Gee said. "I think people just chose not to come -- the storm, the traffic. I think all weighed into that."

"Charlotte has their festival every year on Labor Day. Maybe we should have had a Gasparilla, maybe that would have been a good idea," Castor joked.

As for the vast police presence in Tampa, Castor said security efforts for both cities were the same. Some residents didn't like the level of security, particularly the comparison of an underwhelming number of protesters to an extensive security force.

Gee said the presence was based on experiences from past conventions. "You can't be underprepared," he said. "There would be no forgiveness in being underprepared."

The downtown area is back to normal, but some wonder whether the convention was worth the hassle. "I don't want to see another convention here, no," Carl Zielonka, a resident of Harbour Island, said. He took a vacation to Wyoming during the convention.