Nov 3, 2009 10:35 pm US/Eastern
FTL Will Allow Drinking On A1A During Super Bowl
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
The City of Ft. Lauderdale has made it official; liquor laws will be eased during Super Bowl celebrations in 2010 that will allow for drinking in the street along the Ft. Lauderdale Beach strip.
Tuesday the city issued an ordinance designating a "public purpose special event known as Superbowl 2010". It temporarily exempts certain sections of the city from open container laws. However, the exemption does not extend to the sandy part of the beach.
Super Bowl XLIV and the NFL Pro Bowl will be played at Landshark Stadium in late January and early February. Ft. Lauderdale is the host city. City commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom told
CBS4's Carey Codd she wanted the city to relax its policy on outdoor consumption of alcohol at bars and restaurants along the beach.
Rodstrom hopes the change in the policy for 11 days surrounding the two games will provide an economic boost to restaurant and bar owners. The policy change will be in effect from January 29, 2010 to February 8, 2010. During that time adults will be allowed to carry and consume alcohol in plastic cups in outdoor areas, including sidewalks along A1A between the
southern boundary of Sunrise Boulevard and the northern boundary of Holiday Drive in the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Several bar managers and customers believe it's a good idea.
"It's nice that the city recognizes that this is part of our business on the beach, and they're willing to be a little more lax during Super Bowl time and that big weekend for Ft.Lauderdale and Miami," said Deanne Sabarese, manager of Margarita Cantina.
Sabarese explained that during Spring Break when police crack down on drinking outside of bars, business slows down.
The change city leaders are considering would allow people to carry plastic cups of alcohol on AIA from Holiday Drive to Sunrise Boulevard. The booze would not be allowed on the beach, however.
John Damico and Ed Moran travel to Ft. Lauderdale often for business. They each agree that for a limited time the change will bring people to the area.
"Florida tourism is what drives this state, and I think anything that encourages that and helps pick up the economy is good for Florida," Damico said.
"Super Bowl weekend is what it is," Moran said. "People are gonna get drunk no matter whether they're walking out into the street with a beer; so they're gonna drink and walk to a bar next door anyway. So, if they can keep it under control for a short period of time, it gives people another reason to come out and have some fun."
Rodstrom told
CBS4 the city plans to have more police on the streets making sure people do not get out of control.
The city will also allow signs related to the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl along city streets and bridges in the weeks leading up to the games.
CBS4.COM's Daniel Lastra contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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