ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando business owners are raising concerns over a newly imposed curfew in the downtown bar district — set to go into effect at 1 a.m. Saturday — following a recent shooting.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon, enforcing a curfew from 1 - 5 a.m. and requiring alcohol sales to end at midnight. The emergency measures are expected to last seven days.
“Halloween is our Super Bowl,” said Thomas O’Toole, owner of a parking management company with several lots downtown. “It’s the biggest event in downtown Orlando by far ten times New Year’s, ten times any other event.”
Owner of The Parking Operator, Thomas O’Toole, expressed frustration over the announcement, adding that the restrictions penalize businesses that were not involved in the violence.
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“The impact is felt by everybody,” O’Toole said. “Everyone wants it to be safe. There’s no one who comes out here with the idea to not be safe.”
Orlando City Commissioner Shan Rose acknowledged the safety concerns but cited challenges posed by Florida’s universal carry law.
“Safety is a top priority,” Rose said. “That’s the message. We are not doing knee-jerk reactions. We are ensuring we are protecting everyone who is downtown.”
The new restrictions come after a shooting left ten people injured. In response, Rose announced a forthcoming security plan to improve safety in the bar district.
However, O’Toole argued the restrictions unfairly target small businesses.
“So every business in downtown Orlando is now impacted for a non-patron who pulled a gun. Basically, I would call him a terrorist,” O’Toole said.
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