COCOA, Fla.,None — Port Canaveral executives are under fire over a video they recently posted on the port's website.
The video has since been taken down, but WFTV obtained a copy before it was deleted.
The video was meant to get tourists to park at the port instead of off-site.
It was produced by a government agency to steer people away from private businesses.
Visitors can park off-site for about half of what it costs to park at the port, and that is starting to cut into the ports multi-million dollar profits, WFTV learned.
Critics said the commercial that was taken down from the port's website uses blatant scare tactics to keep cruise passengers from parking in off-site lots.
A handful of sites have opened up, offering parking for about $7 a day or less, while the port charges $15 a day.
Hotels are offering similar deals.
"The small business man trying to make a living, and the big yo-yo like the port, they are working on a monopoly here," said Paul Rezenka of Executive Parking Port Canaveral.
The video includes actors complaining about having to wait for shuttles and car break-ins and also features an actor dressed as a thief.
The Port Authority CEO Stan Payne said the video was a mistake.
"It's unfortunate. It should have never gotten out, it did. We pulled it," said Payne.
But the co-owners of one of the lots shown in the video said they are planning to sue the port for slander and anti-trust violations.
They confronted port executives about leaving the video up on Facebook.
"I sent you several [messages] asking, 'What coward left the video on and didn't pull it off?'" said Todd Oakley, Cruise Parking co-owner.
"What's wrong with small businesses starting up car lots?" WFTV reporter Kevin Oliver asked.
"There's nothing wrong with it. It's competition, it's good," replied Bruce Deardoff, chair of Port Commission.
Payne said the off-site lots are profiting from the ports investments and the port wants passengers to use its garages. The port said 20 percent of its revenues come from parking.
As for the video, the chair of the port commission said he wants to watch it.