FLC FOUND THEIR GATE OCCUPIED.

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AFTER LNDG; CROSSED RWY 25R AT 42 AND CONTACTED GND 121.75 WHO INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO GATE X OR HOLD SHORT OF THE INNER TXWY IF GATE NOT OPEN. CAPT AND MYSELF FOUND IT STRANGE THAT GND DID NOT KNOW GATE STATUS BEING IT WAS HER RESPONSIBILITY. WE PULLED UP TO THE INNER; HELD SHORT; CHKED THE ALLEY; AND IT APPEARED THAT THE GATE WAS UNOCCUPIED. CAPT TAXIED INTO ALLEY A SHORT DISTANCE WHERE WE REALIZED A 757 WAS STILL ON THE GATE. CAPT TURNED AROUND IN THE ALLEY (NO CONFLICTS -- NO PWR IN THE TURN ITSELF) AND I CONTACTED GND TO CONFESS OUR PREDICAMENT; AND TO GET CLRNC OUT. SHE SAID TO HOLD FACING N AND SHE WOULD GET BACK TO US. I TOLD HER WE WERE ALREADY FACING S; AND SHE SAID TURNS WERE NOT APPROVED IN THE ALLEY; AND TO EXIT; USE THE INNER; AND HOLD SHORT OF Y. NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE SIT OCCURRED ON THE FREQ. MORAL OF THE STORY: CHK WITH COMPANY OPS 129.22 TO MAKE SURE OF GATE AVAIL AS OUR LOOK-SEE METHOD DIDN'T WORK. ALSO WE NEED TO CLARIFY GND CTL'S RESPONSIBILITY HERE AS THEY SHOULD KNOW STATUS OF GATES THEY CTL FOR PUSH.