KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A last minute deal will keep the water flowing at a Kissimmee motel Wednesday, at least for now. Toho Water Authority says the Vacation Lodge Maingate on west US-192 owes $23,000.
The utility gave the hotel until noon Wednesday to pay up. The motel agreed to make installment payments and made the first payment early Wednesday afternoon. A spokesperson for Toho told WFTV they just received an online payment before the deadline, so at least for now the water will not be shut off.
"I just know, we got here last night, we're going to see if we can get our money back," visitor Travis Cremean said.
Guests were on edge, waiting and wondering if their hotel room would have any water Wednesday afternoon.
"With them shutting off water, we got to find someplace else to go," Cremean said before the agreement was finalized to keep the water on.
Travis Cremean and his girlfriend Sandy weren't aware of the flier posted by the Toho Water Authority when they checked in. The fliers warned the utility planned to shut off water on Wednesday.
Toho says the resort owes $23,000.
"We want to ask him about the water bill," WFTV reporter Blaine Tolison asked a resort worker.
"That's being paid already," she replied.
Tuesday, a hotel manager called WFTV back and said he had paid the bill, but as of Wednesday morning Toho said it hadn't even received a partial payment. However, the manager did pay $5,000 by noon, so the authority kept the water on.
"People rent by the week. That's the way I did it," renter Lewis Wilson said.
People who paid upfront worry, if the water is cut, the health department will shut the place down, leaving them without the money they paid in rent and looking for someplace else to live.
"I wish I would have known about it before I paid and got the bill," Cremean said.
As WFTV was leaving, a Comcast cable truck pulled up, disconnecting cable for non-payment.
Some hotel guests are angry, wondering how much longer they can deal with these problems. Others are frustrated, but they understand money is tight and they're thankful, at least for now, they have water.
"I'm upset my cable's gone. I love my television. I was watching Desperate Housewives. But, you know what? If it's between taking a bath or seeing TV, I'll take a bath tonight," guest Jill Fitzpatrick said.
Starting next week, the resort agreed to a plan to pay $5,000 every Friday until the debt is gone. If they miss a payment, they could be facing the same situation again.