Alan Diaz/AP Photo
- A Miami Beach, Florida official is asking spring breakers to go to Las Vegas instead.
- College students have historically flocked to Florida’s beaches for spring break.
- Miami Beach has implemented several health and safety protocols from February 22 to April 12.
- Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.
Florida’s beaches have always been a go-to destination for college students on spring break. But this year, a Miami Beach, Florida official is asking spring breakers to instead head to Las Vegas amid concerns of COVID-19 spread from partygoers.
“If you are coming here with an anything-goes party attitude, change your flight reservation now and go to Vegas,” Raul Aguila, Miami Beach’s city manager, said during a city council meeting, the Wall Street Journal reported. “Miami Beach is not going to tolerate anarchy.”
Last year, several colleges were out on spring break when the US started imposing coronavirus-related shutdowns. As a result, Florida’s Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach began implementing safety protocols, such as limited gatherings to 250 people and an 11 p.m. curfew.
However, a number of these college party goers did not heed COVID-19 warnings, and instead continued to pack classic but open spring break destinations in parts of Florida, Texas, and the Bahamas.
Now, the spring break season is upon us again, and with this comes renewed fear of COVID-19 spread in partying hot spots like Miami Beach. And it’s starting to seem like the virus won’t be stopping these young travelers: Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach are already looking packed from spring break visitors again, WSVN 7 News reported.
Dan Gelber, mayor of Miami Beach, is now predicting a "larger than typical spring break," Gelber told WSVN 7 News. In response, Miami Beach has implemented even stronger safety protocols for crowds between February 22 to April 12. These new safety measures now include capacity limits on parking garages and some public beaches, as well as increased police presence.
The typical boozy spring break must-haves like coolers, tents, and alcohol consumption are now also banned from public beaches during this "high impact period."
"If you plan to vacation on Miami Beach, do so responsibly or be arrested," Aguila said in the news release announcing these additional targeted spring break measures.