ORLANDO, Fla. – Thousands of people are expected to bring in the new year in downtown Orlando.
Monica McCown, operations advisor for Church Street Entertainment said the ball drop at High Tide rooftop bar is an iconic Orlando event.
“We’re super pumped about our New Year’s activities here,” McCown said.
Lately, fun in downtown Orlando has been ruined by violence, so business owners are taking precautions.
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“We have ID scanners, which communicate with the other bars so anybody who’s had like a recent violent incident at another bar downtown or one of our bars won’t be able to get in,” McCown said.
Her team will also have security wanding and checking bags at the door.
She also trusts that the Orlando Police Department will monitor the area very closely.
“OPD takes security very seriously. This is the worst place to come if you (want to) cause trouble because you’re not (going to) be able to get away with it,” McCown said.
Orlando police issued this statement:
“The Orlando Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors this New Year’s Eve weekend. Although we cannot disclose specific security measures, we assess event needs for adequate public safety, while also making any necessary security adjustments. Expect increased patrols, officers at venues, and deployment of various resources to enhance safety during New Year’s Eve festivities. If you see anything suspicious, please flag down an officer or call 9-1-1. Our DUI enforcement team will also be active to prevent drinking and driving.”
A brand-new eatery and lounge on Orange Avenue called Debonair Supper Club will open to the public on New Year’s Eve.
The owner Ovais Jalil gave News 6′s Treasure Roberts a tour of the carefully curated space.
It’s home to unique furniture, themed bathrooms and five-course meals.
“I’m excited about meeting people, serving people (and) creating relationships,” Jalil said.
Jalil said safety is his top priority, though.
He said most incidents downtown happen after a certain time of day.
“10 p.m. and on, we start to go into the wanding or metal detection. We start to go into the ID scanning,” Jalil said. “It’s absolutely my responsibility to make sure every single person in here is safe and we are going to make sure to do that.”
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