Judge approves change to Miami Beach’s South of Fifth last call from 5AM to 2AM

In order to offer transparency into how our stories are produced and to teach our readers about the importance of media literacy online, the editorial team provides a quick self-rating of the integrity of the articles and the facts presented against the following IQ metrics.

  • Published on March 15, 2023
  • Last Updated May 15, 2023
  • In Culture

The court granted permission last month for the residential area's last call rollback to shift from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. south of Fifth Avenue.

Folks planning to partake in South Beach’s much-touted late-night bar and dance club scene for spring break will soon find their nights cut short.

After several attempts by Miami Beach officials to respond to complaints about nightclubs from city residents, CNN reports that a judge ruled on Tuesday that last call for alcohol can be shifted from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. in parts of South Beach. This legal document represents a successful outcome for the city. The new last call will take effect within the next day or two, according to the city’s mayor.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber expressed his optimism for the decision’s eventual implementation in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“This is a residential neighborhood that should not have to endure 24-hour nightclubs,” Gelber said.

The ordinance states that “private clubs located in” the MXE district of Miami Beach (the area south of 16th Street where bars and restaurants coexist), “may only offer alcoholic beverages for sale or on-premises consumption between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m.”

CNN notes that when spring break rolls around, city officials in Miami Beach have historically voted to temporarily limit bar hours in the MXE to 2 a.m.

On Tuesday, an attorney for Amnesia International saw a motion for temporary injunction in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court denied by Judge Reemberto Diaz. Following the court’s decision, the city can make the earlier curfew permanent.

Story, a 27,000-square-foot nightclub in the MXE open four nights a week from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., is owned by Amnesia International, which has been vehemently opposed to the measure’s implementation.

Before the commission’s February vote, Story reportedly spoke out against the rollback, according to NBC Miami. Additionally, it claimed that the change would hurt their business and affect their workforce negatively.

Miami Beach is modifying last call times district-by-district and feels authorized to do so by the court’s decision. Alton Road, Ocean Drive, and the entertainment district are up next.

The new ordinance states that “restaurants not operating as dance halls or entertainment establishments” are still permitted to serve alcoholic beverages until 5 a.m.

Loading

(Visited 42 times, 1 visits today)