ORLANDO, Fla. – While city council members mull a proposal to ban alcohol sales after midnight at bars and clubs in downtown Orlando, business owners in the area have reason to believe there may be room for compromise.
A city spokesperson confirmed to News 6 that Orlando’s director of placemaking has been in direct contact with business owners to form a group focused on ideas to improve safety in the area.
Last month, Orlando police chief Eric Smith spoke at a city council workshop, highlighting concerns about violence in downtown.
He said that between May 2024 and May 2025, his officers arrested more than 1,500 people downtown, seized 177 illegal guns, and tabulated 236 fights.
Smith also said that since 2021, 46 of his officers have been hurt while working downtown.
“The high-pressured environment does take a toll on our officers’ morale,” he told council members at the May 19 workshop. “Our officers are experiencing increased levels of burnout and fatigue. We have a duty to keep residents and our visitors safe. As the police department, we have tried everything to curb violence. This time, we really don’t see any other viable options.”
In response to questions from News 6 on Monday, a public information officer with the police department said the chief’s role was to “present information only.” He rejected the suggestion that the chief was encouraging such a ban.
The update regarding communication between downtown stakeholders and the city was welcomed news to Michael Vacirca and his husband, Emmanuel Quinones, who own the bar Anthem, slated to open later this summer.
“We want a safe place where our community can come and play and have fun and be here and sing and they can express themselves,” Quinones said of his LGBTQ bar that is currently under renovation.
Vacirca recently started an online petition imploring city leaders to find solutions that do not involve scaling back hours for bars and nightclubs.
“It’s going to hurt us,” Quinones said of the proposal. “It’s going to hurt the city.”
In an update to the petition Sunday, Vacirca wrote that he had submitted a “comprehensive safety plan” to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and City Council.
The plan consists of four pillars, which includes what he describes as “engineering a safe environment.”
This pillar proposes the creation of a “night-time mobility program,” investing in better lighting, and piloted staggered closing times for venues that may require enhanced security.
