Downtown Orlando businesses push back against after-midnight alcohol permit fees
Downtown businesses push back on more after-hour fees
Downtown businesses are being asked to pay after midnight alcohol permits on top of their fees to stay open late. City officials say the fees fund law enforcement to keep the area safe, but some downtown businesses say they are the only ones bearing the cost to keep it that way.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Some downtown Orlando businesses are paying thousands of dollars each month to remain open past midnight.
Now, business owners are asking the city to reconsider its after-midnight alcohol sales permit program and suspend the associated fees.
Permit program requires additional security payments
Local perspective:
The city established its After-Midnight Alcohol Sales (AMS) permit program in May 2023.
Under the program, businesses serving alcohol between midnight and 2 a.m. in the Downtown Entertainment District must obtain a permit.
The National Independent Venue Association, which represents venues nationwide, including The Beacham and Celine, is now asking city leaders to reconsider the program.
In a letter to city officials, the organization said 39 downtown businesses were billed more than $4.3 million for off-duty police officers over a two-year period.
Businesses raise concerns over rising costs
What they're saying:
Business owners say they recognize the importance of keeping downtown safe but argue that the cost of providing security should not fall on a small group of establishments.
"We are quickly approaching the half-million-dollar range in terms of AMS fees," one business representative said.
Frank Hamby, owner of The Beacham, said the current costs are significant.
"Currently they are paying almost $30,000 a month, so about $350,000 a year," Hamby said.
Owners say costs are affecting operations
Eric Fuller, owner of Celine, said the program places a disproportionate financial burden on a limited number of businesses, even though the security efforts benefit the broader downtown area.
"Our biggest, like, frustration is the fact that it's a handful of businesses paying a fee that benefits all of the downtown area, and we think that's really unfair," Fuller said.
Hamby said the expenses have also affected The Beacham's ability to maintain staffing and make improvements to its building.
"When this started, they had about 300 employees, now they have about 200. They had to lay off a bunch, and we have not been able to do any of the capital improvements to the building that we wanted to do," Hamby said.
City points to downtown crime reduction
The other side:
The city maintains that the AMS permit program helps offset some of the costs associated with downtown public safety services.
A city spokesperson said the fees cover only a portion of those expenses, noting that the city also pays for law enforcement services downtown.
According to the spokesperson, the city's public safety efforts have contributed to a 20% decrease in overall crime downtown.
Business owners are asking city leaders to suspend the fees and reconsider how the costs of downtown security are shared.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the City of Orlando, the National Independent Venue Association, Eric Fuller, owner of Celine and Frank Hamby, owner of The Beacham.