Spring breakup in effect: Miami Beach sees smaller crowds
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Police cars at Lummus Park in South Beach. Photo: Arturo Jimenez/Anadolu via Getty Images
South Beach was so empty Friday night that tourists on horseback were free to cruise down Ocean Drive. The New York Post proclaimed that spring break was a "bust" and business owners said customers were scared off by the city's crackdown on party crowds.
Why it matters: This is all part of Miami Beach's plan to "break up" with spring break through new restrictions that took effect for the first time this weekend, after years of fatal shootings, stampedes and disorderly crowds during the March vacation season.
- License plate readers blocked traffic on major causeways into the city, police tossed alcohol bottles and towed cars at a DUI checkpoint and the city closed several garages and lots around the South Beach entertainment district.
- Despite threats of a curfew, the city did not issue one this weekend.
What they're saying: Spring breakers interviewed by Axios said they saw the city's viral marketing video announcing the spring breakup and had noticed smaller crowds this year amid the city's ramped-up policing.
- Rain Innis, a 21-year-old visiting from North Carolina, said Friday that spring break was way "more calm."
- "We came here last year and saw how wild it was last year, so it's understandable why they made those changes."
- Stephen Harmon, a horse trainer from South Carolina, drove down to Miami Beach with a trailer to introduce spring breakers to his 14-year-old horse Tango. He said he felt welcome in the city, despite the new restrictions.
- "It's not as bad as you think but it did cut down what seemed to be a lot of gun violence," he said. "They had to do what they had to do to get that down."
Mango's Tropical Cafe owner David Wallack told Axios on Sunday that the city's massive police presence helped make the weekend peaceful and orderly, with "no issues at all."
- On the flip side, he said, it led to thousands fewer tourists in South Beach than typical March weekends, severely hurting local businesses.
- "But that was expected, and that depression was the tradeoff."
What's next: The city's spring break restrictions resume Thursday ahead of St. Patrick's Day weekend, which Wallack said is typically the busiest spring break period.
- Wallack anticipates restaurants and clubs in mainland Miami will enjoy a business boom as customers go there instead.
The bottom line: "I understand that this is somewhat of a shared sacrifice but we truly are all looking to have the big picture in mind," Commissioner Joe Magazine told Axios on Friday.
- "If there are incidents down here because we weren't on guard and they go viral, that hurts our brand name. That hurts our image and that's going to hurt those same businesses."