Miami Beach restricts booze sales ahead of spring break
Officials in Miami Beach voted this week to restrict alcohol sales in March, as the city hopes to stave off the spring break calamity that overwhelmed the seaside paradise in 2021.
“During March — on either side of St. Patrick’s Day, at the high point at spring break — the disorder in our city is intolerable. It’s just that simple,” said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, according to CNN.
The new resolution shuts off on-premise booze sales at 2 a.m. from March 7 to March 21, in the raucous entertainment district of South Beach. The typical time for last call is 5 a.m.
The ruling will “ensure a safe environment as we protect the quality of life of our residents in a temporary ordinance,” said city commissioner Alex Fernandez.
Many local business owners were incensed by the vote.
“It’s just picking winners and losers. It’s wrong,” said Jimmy Resnick, the landlord for South Beach club Exchange Miami, which sits on the edge of the restricted zone south of 16th Street.
“You walk approximately a block and a half and you’re at Mr. Jones — they get to open until 5 o’clock … it’s ludicrous,” he said. “I think that you do it citywide, or you don’t do it at all.”
The situation in Miami Beach grew so outrageous last year that the city enacted an 8 p.m. curfew and declared a state of emergency.
