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Neighbors fight new proposed social club on Bayshore Boulevard

Posted at 7:57 PM, Dec 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-27 00:19:01-05

TAMPA, Fla. -- "I want to enjoy peace and quiet of this neighborhood,” said Zhenya Soriano.

Bayshore Boulevard is where Zhenya Soriano and her husband chose to buy their home.

"I'm definitely going to hear everything that's going on over the fence no matter how thick the greenery buffer is going to be,” she said.

She believes the $20 million proposed investment next door will be a noisy one.

"This is a home area-- sorry,” said Rod Brooker.

Neighbors like Laura and Rod Brooker fear a social club planned by Oxford Exchange owner Blake Casper at 4621 Bayshore Boulevard will only bring them headaches.

"It's not going to be a private little get together, a private club for a few people. It's going to be an events center,” said Laura Brooker.

The Stovall House property sits on 2 and a half acres and is not visible from Bayshore because of the fence and shrubbery.

It would become a members only, exclusive club with private parking, dining, a pool, even five overnight guest suites.

"He's not going to have 10 or 12 people sitting around smoking cigars, drinking wine. I don't think that's his plan. He won't tell us how many members he plans to have,” said Brooker.

Casper told ABC Action News by phone that the club's membership would be limited because of road access.

"Our commitment to the neighborhood is we will not park on the side streets, will not use any of the streets other than what is within the footprint of the property,” said Casper.

He also says they won’t host weddings or other large events.

"Ours will be strictly largely a food and beverage club and some other programming that we'll have as well,” said Casper.

But neighbors say they intend to fight the social club to hold onto their Bayshore tranquility.

"I don't want to lose my peace and quiet,” said Soriano.