Miami Beach Spring Break Ban Affecting Local Businesses, Owners Object

Miami Beach’s Spring Break crackdown is already hitting local businesses hard — and they’re sounding off to this publication about just how much it’s really costing them.

Dan Binkiewicz, who co-owns Sweet Liberty Drinks and Supply Co., tells this publication last summer was one of their worst, and things aren’t looking up for this season either. With the new rules cutting down on guests, he says businesses are getting crushed, and many of them might not make it.

Josh Wallack, who co-runs Mango’s Tropical Cafe, tells this publication they used to live for Spring Break — it was the highlight of the year. Now? It’s a mess. He says the lack of visitors is also causing a domino effect, with servers and bartenders losing out on pay ’cause of those early curfews.

Mitch Novick from Sherbrooke Hotel in Miami also called out the $100 parking rule, telling this publication he had guests cancel last year because they just couldn’t swing the cost.

Meanwhile, AJ, the general manager at Palace Bar, tells us they’re feeling the pinch from not being able to use the sidewalk anymore, cutting their seating by a massive 180 spots.

Despite the frustration, places like Sherbrooke Hotel understand why the city’s making moves for safety, with Palace Bar’s AJ acknowledging the past shootings that went down right in front of their venue — but he’s all about finding a better way to keep the businesses alive without killing the vibe.

However, the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association rep tells this publication that since the new rules were in place, they still saw an 11% bump in visitors and a 1.8% rise in hotel bookings from 2023.

They added many hotels and restaurants are actually backing the city’s crackdown. And get this: citywide arrests dropped 8%, felony crimes dipped 19%, and service calls fell 5%. Plus, no shootings or fatalities this time around — definitely a big win compared to the past couple of years!