MILWAUKEE -- In a statement released Thursday afternoon, County Executive Chris Abele weighed in on the debate over Pokemon Go in Lake Park, arguing the county isn't trying to get the popular game removed altogether.
A letter mailed from Milwaukee County Parks to the game's developer, Niantic, earlier this month has attracted lots of media attention and discussion in the gaming community. Some have interpreted that letter as asking for the game to be removed from Lake Park. Not so, Abele says.
"I was discouraged by some recent reports that created some confusion around the County's position on Pokemon GO," Abele says in the statement.
"A few bad Krabbies" have created littering and clean-up problems at the park due to the game's popularity, he says.
"That's why we've asked Niantic...to simply follow our documented permitting process for geocaching so that they can share in the responsibility of maintaining these spaces."
Abele claims more than 400 local users have applied for and received those geocaching permits over the last eight years, and that large corporations should be held to the same standards.
"To be clear, simply playing Pokemon Go doesn't require a permit - that would be Tentacruel to ask of pepole who are just trying to get outside and explor our parks...we want more people to Pika-choose them today and every day," Abele said.
Niantic, Inc. has yet to respond to the County's request. You can read the full statement from Abele here.
