It’s a rule that was in place for decades: no alcohol on the sand at Fort Lauderdale Beach. But after more than 30 years, the ban on booze has been lifted.
Hotels like the Hilton are now rolling out your favorite cocktail on the beach.
Tamas Vago, general manager of the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, said he’s been fighting for the change for two years. He said not being able to drink on the sand was a constant complaint from guests.
“It’s an amazing destination, but we would like to enjoy a beverage at the beach like we do at any other major destination,” Vago remembers hearing patrons tell him.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
In November, the city voted to lift the ban but only for hotels through a one-year program that went into effect in January.
Hotels within a certain area have to apply for a permit. To qualify, the hotel has to be located on A1A between Sunrise Boulevard and Holiday Street. It also has to be a beachfront property with chairs in front of it. Another requirement is having 25 guest rooms or more.
To be served, you have to be a hotel guest or rent a chair.
Local
The change has been met with questions by residents concerned about its impact and rollout.
“Are they going to have servers crossing A1A, which is a heavily traveled street?" asked Bill Brown, president of the Central Beach Alliance, which represents neighbors and businesses along the beach. “How the trash would be handled and who would monitor the serving of this?”
Brown said the group has met with city leaders and hotel representatives to voice those concerns.
He said some residents feel the ban should be lifted for everyone who wants to drink on the beach, not just hotel guests or people who rent chairs.
“How can I not be allowed to take a cooler over to the beach if I’m sitting within 100 feet of a hotel zone that’s allowed to serve alcohol?” Brown said.
Mayor Dean Trantalis said lifting the ban for everyone all at once could create the same problems that caused the city to ban alcohol years ago.
“Years and years ago, Fort Lauderdale Beach used to be a hotbed of activity that deteriorated the experience here,” Trantalis said. “Spring break became synonymous with rowdiness and criminal activity.”
He said the goal of the new program is to take things slowly.
“We’re trying to reintroduce the idea of serving alcohol on the beach,” he said. “We’ll take baby steps and see how successful it is.”
So far, city officials say six hotels have gotten permits to serve alcohol on the beach.
In the meantime, residents like Brown say they plan on keeping a close eye.
“We’ll watch and see how that goes,” Brown said.
