San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Attempts to curb wild party crowds lead to complaints
MIAMI — Miami Beach wants to turn down the volume in the city’s South Beach party neighborhood, citing increasingly raucous crowds, public drinking and growing violence, but efforts to curb the carousing have raised complaints about racism, classism and business practices along one of the nation’s most glamorous waterfronts.
The 10-block stretch of Ocean Drive known for art deco hotels, restaurants and bars is sandwiched between two areas that cater to more affluent tourists. The tension has been bubbling for years as party crowds grew from a few weekends a year into a yearround presence. The situation worsened during the pandemic when city officials closed the main drag to vehicles and allowed restaurants to offer more outdoor seating, which invited a carnival atmosphere on the street.
More than 1,000 people were arrested during this year’s spring break, when the city imposed a rare 8 p.m. curfew. Authorities sent military style vehicles to disperse predominantly Black crowds with rubber bullets, prompting criticism from Black activists and spawning a parody on “Saturday Night Live.”
“We cannot accept this as our normal,” Mayor Dan Gelber said. “What we have called an entertainment district has become an incredible magnet for crime and disorder, and whatever it provides in revenue is just not worth the heartache.”
Last month, the city increased the number of police and code-enforcement officials covering the neighborhood to their largest number in history.
Crowds gather while a speaker blasts music an hour past a rare 8 p.m curfew in March in Miami Beach. More than 1,000 people were arrested during this year’s spring break.
The mayor called it a stopgap measure, saying the city cannot afford to increase the number of police permanently.
His long-term proposal would rebrand the blocks known as the entertainment district by hosting higher-end concerts and fairs, focusing on family-friendly events and marketing the city’s oftenoverlooked but impressive museums and symphony. He
also wants to limit loud music and halt alcohol sales at 2 a.m.
The area has waxed and waned over many decades. It fell into decline after a midcentury heyday, but TV shows like “Miami Vice” made it cool again in the 1980s, and supermodels gathered at fashion designer Gianni Versace’s oceanfront estate in the 1990s. More recently, rap lyrics have
immortalized South Beach.
The Ocean Drive closure, which remains in effect as the city maps out its future, has wrought financial havoc on hotels and restaurants.The mayor’s proposal also seeks to increase office and residential space and cut the number of bars and clubs.