What exactly is the reason clubs/bar are only allowed to be open until 2AM?

[frankieb96]

I've always wondered this, and it's never really made too much sense as to why in Orlando, specifically downtown obviously, the law is that you cant serve past 2AM. I know you can be "open" past 2AM, but obviously, you're likely not making any money if you're not allowed to serve/sell, so many places just close up shop at 2.

I'm truly interested in knowing the more about reasoning behind this, as any time i've been out to a packed place, it's always kind of a joke when the lights come on at 2AM, and the place has to lose all that business(and county tax revenue?) as it walks out the door.

It's not "essential" for our city's nightlife establishments to be open until 4-5am, BUT, if you look at the "big citys," they just all happen to have that same commonality. I know everyone(including myself) wants downtown to be a little more than just a bar/nightclub scene, but you can't ignore that it's a big part of downtown right now. . .could it possibly spur more people to want to be/live in downtown if the 2AM rule were to change?

Can or should this "rule" be changed, what's your take? I'm just looking for some thoughts, comments, or anything regarding this manner.

I've tried searching on here, but to no avail really

[bobbarker]

If I remember correctly, they used to be allowed to serve liquor until 3am. In the early to mid 90's there was a pretty big rave scene here. A pretty rampant drug problem broke out and good old Glenda Hood would have none of that. So, they moved the time to 2am and banned the after hours bottle clubs. She pretty much tried to kill the downtown nightlife scene to make Orlando more of a "family" town.

The was recently talk of moving the time back to 3am for the bars downtown but that got shot down pretty fast. It's up to the city council, I think.

Personally, I don't see a problem with a 2am last call. It's usually only the die-hards that want to keep going after that (when they probably shouldn't). I don't think an hour would make that much of a difference, we aren't New Orleans or South Beach so there isn't really any need to have laws that facilitate party-tourism.

[frankieb96]

It's not even about the die hards I think, it would be more about the option to go out later, like arrive later. Some people want to show up at 9 or 10pm lets say, and some others might want to show up at midnight perhaps. . .just playing devil's advocate.

[corpkid]

It's not even about the die hards I think, it would be more about the option to go out later, like arrive later. Some people want to show up at 9 or 10pm lets say, and some others might want to show up at midnight perhaps. . .just playing devil's advocate.

[orlandonative]

To further the discussion, if I am not mistaken I believe the ordinances on drinking are imposed by the county rather than the city?

In any case adding on an additional 2 hours of drinking would certainly help the revenues that are generated by the very lucrative DUI enforcement business.

[bobbarker]

To further the discussion, if I am not mistaken I believe the ordinances on drinking are imposed by the county rather than the city?

In any case adding on an additional 2 hours of drinking would certainly help the revenues that are generated by the very lucrative DUI enforcement business.

[Chemmie]

I find laws like these, as well as the laws prohibiting purchasing alcohol after certain hours or before certain hours on Sunday, to be silly. They don't affect me much, but they are a huge infringement on the rights of businessowners to sell their products. There is no logical explaination behind these laws, in my opinion. Open the clubs, bars and anything else for 24 hours for all I care. I'll sleep just as good at night if they are open or closed.

[jack]

I find laws like these, as well as the laws prohibiting purchasing alcohol after certain hours or before certain hours on Sunday, to be silly. They don't affect me much, but they are a huge infringement on the rights of businessowners to sell their products. There is no logical explaination behind these laws, in my opinion. Open the clubs, bars and anything else for 24 hours for all I care. I'll sleep just as good at night if they are open or closed.

[Rybak 187]

I find laws like these, as well as the laws prohibiting purchasing alcohol after certain hours or before certain hours on Sunday, to be silly. They don't affect me much, but they are a huge infringement on the rights of businessowners to sell their products. There is no logical explaination behind these laws, in my opinion. Open the clubs, bars and anything else for 24 hours for all I care. I'll sleep just as good at night if they are open or closed.

[mrh3]

If I remember correctly, they used to be allowed to serve liquor until 3am. In the early to mid 90's there was a pretty big rave scene here. A pretty rampant drug problem broke out and good old Glenda Hood would have none of that. So, they moved the time to 2am and banned the after hours bottle clubs. She pretty much tried to kill the downtown nightlife scene to make Orlando more of a "family" town.

The was recently talk of moving the time back to 3am for the bars downtown but that got shot down pretty fast. It's up to the city council, I think.

Personally, I don't see a problem with a 2am last call. It's usually only the die-hards that want to keep going after that (when they probably shouldn't). I don't think an hour would make that much of a difference, we aren't New Orleans or South Beach so there isn't really any need to have laws that facilitate party-tourism.

[UptownNewOrleans]

We don't have that problem in New Orleans, our clubs close at 7am. If people wanna get their drink on, they can take their drink outside and stroll through the Quarter, and the police won't say nada. I think in Orlando, it's a way to tell people that it's time to go. The club owners need to rest just like everyone else.

[demon]

I think it has to do with some conservative minds in this town.

I go downtown often, but I never drink. There are some clubs that stop serving at 2AM, but stay open until 245-3. Usually people start filing out of those at about 2AM anyway. I think they would make more money if they were allowed to serve until 3AM or 4AM. The best reason I've heard to let them stay open longer is so that people don't feel the need to binge drink. Don't know if that would work, but it makes sense.

I've gone out in other cities and found that it's really not so bad that we close at 2AM. San Diego has last call at 130AM and the clubs are empty and staff is cleaning up at 2AM. I was in shock.

In NYC I THINK they stopped serving at 3AM but stayed open much later. The same thing pretty much happened people started filing out at about 3AM and the club was pretty dead afterwards.

Like another poster said only the hardcore people would stay out really late. I think people can only take so much partying in one night. I'm glad to say I'm not one of them.

[depechecureguyorl]

glenda hood changed the drinking laws back in the 90's and heavily restricted club hours downtown due to the "oh so scary Ravers". Orlando used to be THE place to go in Florida for a good club atmosphere. Blame Glenda the Wicked Witch of Orlando for making life miserable for the yuppies downtown...

[bulldogger]

Like another poster said only the hardcore people would stay out really late. I think people can only take so much partying in one night. I'm glad to say I'm not one of them.

[corpkid]

Bulldogger, that is very well put! I too used to work in the service industry (bartender in Boston) and I had the same problem. I always felt cheated. I sucks going "out" on a Tuesday because you NEVER get weekends off. When I moved to NYC (which has a 4am closing time, I believe) I was in heaven! Did I always stay out to 4am, well no. But, I knew if I wanted to have dinner at 9pm and then head to a different part of town to have a drink or two with friends (11pm) and then go to a club to dance (12:30am) and then head to another "late" club (2am) I'd be A-OK. Well, until the next morning but that is what Taco Bell and College football is all about!

Anyways, If it works in NYC and many other US and international cities, why not here? We already have a really concentrated and popular nightlife scene - let's let the business owners capitalize on it. I can't figure out who would complain?

[Julez]

Here in Miami I really dont know the closing times but I know its late in the morning.

The Clubs in South beach are probaly until the next day. In Downtown the clubs are also allowed into the next day I believe, but with the huge influx of residents moving into Downtown some people are beginning to complain.

But 2AM is way 2 early, 4 or 5 AM is more practical for a better nightlife.

[Metro10]

We need some good house parties!

[Raintree21]

As alluded to above, I believe most of it is related to being in the south where many places are considered to be part of the Bible Belt. Blue Laws have ruled for quite a while now. Seems the only places you see those hours not observed are up north and west. Lousiana being an exception but it wasn't until recently that they updated their laws to change the drinking age to 21 from 18.

[VistaLakes01]

The real reason clubs don't stay open after 2 am is because for a couple of years Orlando was THE place internationally for the underground dance scene. It started with OZ, which opened at 2 am in the Beacham Theater (Tabu). Ecstacy was huge and the music was new and cutting edge. I was at several "lock downs" at OZ by OPD where they turned on all the lights and searched everyone for drugs (most people just swallowed the pills that they had.) Kimball Collins was the house DJ who is now an international DJ and well known. Then The Edge opened which was like a Carnival inside and out and the house DJ there was DJ Icee who is is now also a well known intl DJ. The Edge would close at 3 and then people would head to the Beacham. The Beacham would go on until 10 or 12 Sunday at times. Then the world famous Club at Firestone opened. My brother Robby Clark was DJ (he was also owner of Underground Record Source on Mills Ave where famous DJ's from all over the world shopped. Firestone was gay until 2 am and then at 2 the doors opened and the straight crowd came in and everyone mixed, all high on X, "the Orlando Sound" became famous in the dance world and celebrities from all over the world would come to town just to go to Firestone. The Firestone company made the club take down it's antique Firestone sign because it didn't want to be related to the drug use. Rolling Stone did a whole feature on Orlando's club scene, Firestone, and the Orlando Sound. The 2 am DJ slot was often done by world renowned DJ's such as Sasha, Oakenfold, Pete Bones, etc. Every DJ dreamed about spinning for the late night crowd at the Firestone, dubbed the Studio 54 of the mid 90's. Besides the drug use (no alcohol for sale, mainly water and orange juice, there was no fighting at that time, everyone was on "the love drug", X. Well, churches on Sunday morning downtown didn't like the sweaty burned out dancers coming out of the club and wandering the streets while they were attending church. So after many meetings with the city council (I was there) Glenda got the clubs to close at 2, alcohol or no alcohol. But oddly enough Citywalk was being planned and built at Universal within the city limits. Don't know how much they paid her off, but it was enough to kill Church Street and the famous Firestone. She also gave Universal a 3 am closing time but the option of staying open longer for "special events." At the time I also went to the hot clubs in NYC such as Sound Factory and Limelight and they didn't sell alcohol after 2 or 3, just water and fruit and juice for the crowd. Nobody likes to drink when they are on X anyway. But that is the exact story on why the strict 2 am closing time, regardless of alcohol sales. I really think it has to do with some sort of payoff with Universal, why would the mayor of a city with a thriving internationally known club scene shut it down?!