Miami Beach

Miami Beach Liquor Store Sues City Over Limiting Alcohol Sales

The city has yet to comment on the suit that could be heard as early as Thursday morning.

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The owner of a liquor store in Miami Beach is suing after city leaders voted to cut off liquor sales in the hopes of preventing potential chaos this weekend.

After the city saw two deadly shootings in the midst of spring break, leaders decided to cut off packaged liquor sales at alcohol stores at 6 p.m., beginning Thursday through Sunday.

The owner of Gulf Liquors on Alton Road filed a suit Wednesday in court asking a judge to stop the city from changing the hours of liquor sales.

"Them shutting me down — there’s still gonna be an issue on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and I'd bet my liquor store on this," he said.

NBC 6's Xochitl Hernandez has more on what cities are doing to prepare for what could take place.

The lawsuit says, “The plaintiff faces injury to its goodwill, brand, reputation and profits as a result of the ordinance, which will cripple business during one of the busiest tourist periods of the year. The city, meanwhile, will suffer little to no harm should this court enter an injunction."

"We believe it’s selective enforcement," an attorney said. "We believe it's arbitrary. If the city of Miami Beach's concern is the sale of alcohol, they would ban it completely, and the curfew would be around for all businesses in the restricted area. Why only liquor stores?"

The city has yet to comment on the suit that could be heard as early as Thursday morning.

"We haven't been served with any lawsuit, but if and when we are, we will defend the emergency order and the City's right to impose measures intended to protect residents and visitors by curbing package liquor sales that fuel the unruly chaos on the streets," Miami Beach City Attorney Rafael Paz said in a statement. "Last year, the circuit court upheld a much more restrictive emergency order under almost identical circumstances and we are confident that the court will rule in our favor here, too."

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