The Kissimmee City Commission is in the process of having staff work on a permitting process to close a public street 96 days out of the year. The bars and restaurants on the newly renovated Dakin Street are requesting that the city allow them to close the public street in order to hold "events" that might promote shopping. While we applaud the zeal of the businesses on Dakin Street to find ways to increase their profits, the WayneWho staff is not at all sure that doing it in this manner is what is best for our community and the economic redevelopment of downtown Kissimmee.
The great failure of the Church Street drinking corridor in downtown Orlando leads us to believe that creating an alcohol centric fun zone on a public street is probably not the best message Historic Downtown Kissimmee wants to relay to the hardworking families of our community. While we have enjoyed the new restaurants, and the more 'mature' scene that now exists in the downtown, how long will it be before we have beer funnels and puking kids competing over $1.00 drafts. As some of the restaurants and bar owners said when they addressed the commission, "closing the road brings in increased foot traffic which brings more business to their establishments." So does $1.00 drafts and wet t-shirt contests, but we do not believe that is the environment that taxpayers have been paying to create.
The WayneWho staff believes that the commission should not set a precedent by allowing a public road to be closed for 96 days out of the year. If a binge drinking corridor is some in the community are after, let it be part of the 192 Redevelopment on private property where tax dollars and taxpayer liabilities are not on the line. The commission should continue to work with the Dakin Street businesses in their efforts to put on successful monthly events that draw in community members instead of allowing events that may turn visitors off to the whole downtown experience.
As one patron noted to the City Commission, “We usually go there for nice clean fun," which leaves the nagging question of what happens the rest of the time? Now that we finally have a great mature and professional nightlife in downtown once again, it would be sad to ruin it.
14 comments:
When I saw the article in the paper my first reaction was that it was just too much. I love the new places, but closing the streets down that may days is just too much.
Leave it to WayneWho to say what everyone else is thinking and to scared to actually step forward and say. 96 Days is too much. Once a month is great!
Why do you feel it would be a "copy cat" of Orlando. Addressing your concerns by adding a paragraph allowing extra police to come out of profits, excessive drinking would include fines to establishments, etc and problem is mitigated, the public has fun and it's safe for all. Lighten up.
The closure is Dakin from Broadway to Pleasant (the entrance to City Centre's parking garage, about 150'. They want it closed Friday and Saturday nights. You aren't there anyways, so how does it inconvenience you? At all? Kids are not clamoring to find alcohol at a cigar bar or a wine-snob establishment, and if you've been in 3 Sisters you will know that the only thing you can get for a buck is an extra napkin. Way to pick a stupid fight, Wayne.
Maybe the city should sell the road to the City Center people so they can do with it what they want. My problem is that it is our tax dollars that go into repairs and maintenance and then we can't even drive on it. Does not make alot of sense.
I do not agree with the commenter that said "the public has fun and it's safe for all." While I love the new entertainment we have in the downtown, and I want it to stay around for a long time, problems can develop. If an area needs extra police patrols, then there are probably problems going on that I would not want to expose my family to. If people are already hinting at extra police patrols then it is assumed there will be more crime. We can't let this happen to our downtown.
Great we can have our own bike week every weekend. No thanks.
They told us the Loop was supposed to be a nice upscale shopping area and that has turned out too well. The place gets taken over by kids every Friday and Saturday night to the point where you have Sheriff's Deputys all over the place. I don't go their anymore.
Beer always make me feel Patriotic.
NOW WE HAVE TO PAY FOR EXTRA POLICE SO THEY CAN CLOSE THE STREETS EVERY WEEKEND. WHAT KIND OF TAX WILL THEY CHARGE US FOR THAT?
WayneWho must be from one of those stict Baptist sects. Drinking alcohol is a sin!
I think this falls under the category of "Too much of a good thing/" Ninty-Six days seems excessive.
I would rather read opinions on stuff like this than read more whining about the wastoid county manager.
They need to keep Dakin open until after 5:00pm duing the week. It makes for a mess when they close the road before 4:30pm on a Friday night when people are trying to get home.
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