Miami Beach Will Have Earlier Bar Closing Times For Spring Break

MIAMI BEACH, FL — There's a saying that whatever happens in Miami Beach never happened.

Now, whatever happens in Miami Beach will not happen a little earlier — at least for six peak days during spring break, including St. Patrick's Day.

City officials voted 5-2 to give final approval to a measure Wednesday that will force some bars along iconic Ocean Drive to close two hours earlier on designated dates in March.

"I don’t think anybody can deny we have a real issue," said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, who supported the measure and argued for an even earlier closing time. "This is a real problem. It’s just a real problem. I’m really sorry that it has an impact on businesses that we value."

The six-day period will start on March 13. Those bars affected by the measure will be forced to shut down at 3 a.m, two hours earlier than normal.

In addition to Ocean Drive, the measure affects bars on parts of Collins Avenue, Washington Avenue and Espanola Way, according to city officials.

Commissioner Ricky Arriola, who voted against the measure on the first reading, changed his vote in favor of the reduced hours based on a request from the city's police chief.

"Out of deference to our chief, I am going to vote 'yes' to this very reluctantly," he said. "If it works, we can build on it, and if it doesn’t work, it will be put to bed."

This wasn't the first time the issue of closing bars earlier along the entertainment strip has come up in the city. Miami Beach residents overwhelmingly voted in a 2017 ballot referendum to keep 5 a.m. liquor sales along iconic Ocean Drive.

Proponents of changing the time, including then Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, insisted that an earlier closing time for bars on the strip would reduce crime. But one study estimated that the city stood to lose 5,500 jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue had the measure passed.

The 2017 vote was 64.7 percent in favor of the measure and 35.29 percent opposed. That translated to 7,635 voters opposed to an earlier closing time and only 4,164 voters in favor.

Some business owners complained at Wednesday's meeting that some of their employees will be hurt by the change. Other people questioned why officials had not considered the measure before many people have already booked their travel plans.

David Wallack, who owns Mango's Tropical Cafe, one of the best known restaurants and bars on Ocean Drive, said the employees of businesses will be hurt the most.

"The businesses are not the issue here, and to be horse trading with ours is only damaging our staffs," he said. "The owners will get by."

In a departure from past practice, Miami Beach police last year launched an unprecedented crackdown during spring break to regain control of the beach as specially outfitted police officers confronted people who flagrantly violated alcohol and marijuana laws.

Miami Beach officials passed as many as 13 separate ordinances targeting problems stemming from last year's spring break, according to Commissioner Michael Gongora, who voted against Wednesday's measure.

"This ordinance is a solution looking for a problem," he said, noting the police union also opposed the change.

Gongora said commissioners whittled away at the measure from the time it was initially discussed after several groups objected.

"I don't know if the Irish people were sleeping, didn't pay attention, or really wanted to be penalized," he said to laughter. "Somehow they are the only ones that didn't get carved out of this watered down version."

Here's how commissioners voted:

• Steven Meiner (Group 4): Yes
• Mark Samuelian (Group 2): Yes
• Ricky Arriola (Group 5): Yes
• David Richardson (Group 6): Yes
• Michael Góngora (Group 3): No
• Micky Steinberg (Group 1): No
• Mayor Gelber: Yes