November 23, 2020

Miami nightlife may be off the rails again as City Commissioners passed an ordinance prohibiting outdoor music at certain venues from 10 PM to 8 AM. The decision was made without listening to hours of recorded comments made by residents opposing the proposal. The oddest part about all of this is this rule is not aimed at COVID19 at all. It’s something that Commissioner Joe Carollo has tried to pass on previous occasions, and the new rule is permanent.

Many of the city’s local businesses and nightlife rely on outdoor music to create revenue. The proposal, initiated by Commissioner Joe Carollo, is especially being fought by Ball & Chain owners Bill Fuller and Zack Bush. They believe this is another move Carollo has made against them due to a 2017 political feud.

According to NBC South Florida, Carollo aims to restrict noise in neighborhoods trying to “sell the club life” in Miami. However, some places, such as the Wynwood Arts District and Coconut Grove, have been exempt from the ban.

Miami New Times reports that City Attorney Victoria Méndez states 366 people recorded voicemails complaining about the ban. However, many were not played as they contained the same scripted message.

Although the new ban is only a small hit to Miami nightlife, this may be an indicator for future changes to come. Miami’s nightclubs have been impacted the most since the start of the pandemic.

As of November 23, Miami-Dade County faces one of the highest COVID-19 cases in the state of Florida.