NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Officials in Pasco County are keeping a close watch on a depression they say is still active.
RELATED: Pasco depression expanding at 'rapid' rate, forcing closures
“Wow. I cannot believe how deep this is," said David Purdy.
Pasco County officials say the depression grew another three feet overnight and is now about 38 feet wide and 70 feet deep.
USF Geologists used 3D-mapping technology to study the depression. The video they provided takes you underground to see the scope of what they are dealing with.
"We are capturing them at such an accuracy that it’s millimetric," said Dr. Lori Collins. "So we can make very exacting measurements of everything that we can see with the human eye."
The expanding hole forced Trinity Varsity Club to close on Wednesday, a tough break for a business that just bounced back from COVID-19.
However, county officials gave the sports bar the green light Thursday night to reopen, just in time for fans to catch the Bucs' Thursda Night Football game and the Tampa Bay Rays in postseason play.
NEW: Trinity Varsity Club reopens after a nearby depression (reportedly 70-feet deep) forced the sports bar to close on Wednesday. Good timing, too. Both the @Buccaneers & @RaysBaseball play tonight. @abcactionnews pic.twitter.com/M7pKdYYVop
— Ryan Smith (@RyanReports) October 8, 2020
"It’s just a good feeling to be back open after what we went through with COVID," said owner David Berlo. "Employees are back to work, they're happy."
The depression is on private property so it will be up to the Varsity Club and the nearby Spring Haven Condominium complex to fix it.
Both have hired engineering firms.
This spot is normally a place to gather for eating, drinking and watching sports. Now, the unwanted attraction is the giant hole.
“I don’t think there’s any real concern for anybody. Except for maybe the bar. If they were open I would have stopped in for a Bloody Mary or something," said Bruce Wernet.
