Miami Beach is trying to shed its identity as a spring break destination by 2024 after a violent season.
Mayor Dan Gelber and Miami Beach’s commission unanimously passed a resolution Monday “directing the city administration to explore attracting a private entity to plan and produce a private event on Ocean Drive and surrounding areas” during certain weekends in March 2024, according to local ABC affiliate WPLG.
The goal is to have ticketed events with metal detectors to structure how spring breakers can celebrate while preventing them from treating the city as “an all-inclusive resort where people can do what they want,” Mr. Gelber said.
“We are doing everything we can to tell the world we don’t want you here,” he added.
Local leaders also want the city manager to pinpoint popular Thursday-Sunday weekends where a curfew can be used to avert public safety concerns
Two deadly shootings over St. Patrick’s Day weekend pushed Miami Beach to implement a curfew from midnight to 6 a.m.
“I also think we’ve become a destination for not simply people who are looking to have a foolish good time, but those who might have more sinister desires,” Mr. Gelber told The Guardian. “We’ve attracted members of gangs, and we’ve obviously attracted people who bring guns because we seize them with regularity.”
Miami Beach police said that it confiscated 105 guns from Feb. 27 to March 27.
The city also made 488 arrests, including 237 felony arrests, during that time.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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