Miami Beach’s big restaurants and clubs must shrink guest list under coronavirus order
Some of Miami Beach’s most popular restaurants and clubs are being asked to limit the number of guests allowed inside their doors under a new emergency order aimed at limiting the possible spread of coronavirus.
Businesses like Joe’s Stone Crab and the Clevelander South Beach Hotel and Bar, which typically host hundreds of people every night, were ordered Friday to trim their guest lists to prevent more than 249 people from gathering at one time.
Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales, with the approval of the City Commission, signed the emergency order on Friday.
Morales signed an emergency declaration Thursday that gives him the authority to enact a series of public-safety measures, such as closing public assemblies and instituting a curfew. On Friday, the City Commission — which approved his emergency powers — voted to extend his powers to last seven days instead of the usual 72 hours.
The occupancy limit will remain in effect until March 19.
“This is a huge deal, but nothing surpasses everyone’s safety,” said Joe’s Stone Crab owner Stephen Sawitz in a text message. “We’re all in this together and are sacrificing for the good of the many.”
During Friday’s meeting, Morales said he has “no intention” of implementing a curfew, but that he wanted to enact a 250-person freeze on occupancy levels at big restaurants and clubs, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One way to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19, is to cancel large gatherings, the CDC states in its guidance to communities dealing with the disease.
The CDC uses the 250-person figure to describe what could be considered a large gathering but says that cities should determine on their own what constitutes a large gathering for the purposes of canceling events.
The city’s cultural venues, like the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater and the New World Symphony, have canceled upcoming events indefinitely. But private venues have not been directed to close by the city.
“My concern is that while we’re doing this with our cultural facilities, and we’re seeing a lot of large events canceling, as a tourist economy and as a hospitality economy we have a lot of venues that well exceed 250 persons,” he said. “And that’s a high risk area. My thought here is either to say that any facility with over 250 occupancy — that’s a restaurant or a club — can either close or could reduce their occupancy to 249 or below.”
Raul Aguila, the city’s attorney, said that the businesses will be trusted to police themselves.
“We’re going to give facilities the opportunity to self police and act on the honor system in order to keep their [occupancy] load down,” he said. “If a facility is exceeding its [occupancy] load, the fire department does have the ability to go into the facility. They don’t need permission. Worst case scenario, they can either reduce the [occupancy] load themselves or shut down.”
Morales said the city should lead by example. He noted that large corporations, like Disney and the NBA, had already made the move to shut down to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19.
“I think we also probably need to lead by example,” he said. “That would be what I intend to do.”
Thursday’s decision to declare a state of emergency in the city came one day after Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez invoked his own emergency powers. The first known case of coronavirus in Miami-Dade was announced on Wednesday.
Businesses feel the coronavirus pinch
Some of Miami Beach’s most popular eateries, including Joe’s Stone Crab and Smith & Wollensky, will be forced to reduce their footprint. There are 400 seats available in the Joe’s dining area.
“By Monday, if not sooner, we will have everything buttoned down to 250 or less,” Sawitz, of Joe’s Stone Crab, said. “Our Take Away is separate and conforms to the city requirements under these trying times.”
Apart from his employees, the restaurant’s fisheries and vendors will also feel the financial pinch, he said.
In the city’s entertainment district, at least seven clubs have occupancy capacities of 250 people or more. That includes Cameo night club, Exchange Miami, Mango’s Tropical Cafe and the Clevelander South Beach Hotel and Bar.
Troy Wright, the executive director of the Washington Avenue Business Improvement District, said the business owners he represents were concerned their operations will be curtailed during the busiest month of the year.
The city’s 3 a.m. alcohol sales ban, which the City Commission passed into law on February to limit spring break partying, also goes into effect early Saturday morning, which Wright said only further decreases their profit margins. The sales ban is separate from the coronavirus-related emergency order.
“I do believe that all of them understand and believe it is the right measures to take even though it is going to hurt them deeply,” Wright said. “I had to calm some of the business owners to say it’s a matter of safety at this point.”
Commissioner Ricky Arriola, who supported the emergency measure, said life in the city will only get worse until it gets better.
“I think regardless we’re going to find ourselves under curfew and quasi-martial law within two weeks,” Arriola said after Friday’s meeting. “It’s inevitable that it’s going to come to Dade County and city of Miami Beach.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 6:25 PM.
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