MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A dangerous situation has forced the popular Clevelander Hotel restaurant to close in Miami Beach.
A fight that left damage to the popular destination of South Beach.
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A sign has now been put up at the entrance to the popular beach hotel.
The poster says, “We are increasingly concerned about the safety of our dedicated employees and our valued customers and the city’s ability to maintain a safe environment.”
The document says that as a result, they close the doors until next week.
“I don’t blame them for wanting to close,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said.
Gelber says he has been pushing for years to renovate South Beach into a more family-friendly environment and says the increase in crime is the result of the party atmosphere that is now synonymous with South Beach.
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“We have turned this area into an area for anything, it is a kind of play area, play area, play area instead of live work area. Therefore, for me I want to diversify, so that not only 105 bars are open until 5 in the morning ”.
To help control the crowd and prevent similar incidents, Miami Beach police have stepped up their patrols and implemented a policy of intolerance.
Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said: “In the last 5 1/2 weeks we have seen more than 900 arrests here in our city. We have issued more than 5,000 traffic citations. Last night alone. there were about two dozen arrests in our entertainment district. ”
Fifty percent of those arrests are people from out of state, 374 from Miami-Dade, 94 from Miami Beach, 141 homeless, 78 living anywhere else in Florida.
Miami Beach police have partnered with several law enforcement agencies to help patrol the beach and help prosecute detainees.
“It’s a dangerous situation for our community. It is a dangerous situation for the officers and that is why it is important that we act quickly and use tactics such as pepper balls to disperse the crowds, ”said Rodríguez.
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Although the courtyard and bar are closed, the Clevelander Hotel will remain open and hotel guests will continue to have access to the pool, restaurant and rooftop.