The Miami Times

Earlier Bar Closing Hours Sought For Miami

Uniform bar closing hours were considered Monday in a public hearing before the Dade county commission, and a good cross section of the citizens were there to get in on the act. The crowd that jammed the Criminal Court room included liquor dealers, ministers, bartenders, municipal officials, probation officers and musicians. The county commission is trying to get all the municipalities together with the county on a uniform closing schedule for bars, night clubs, package stores and other places where alcoholic beverages are sold in Dade county.

Commissioner Preston Bird suggested a schedule of 8 a.m. to midnight on weekdays with closing all day Sundays for liquor bars, and beer and wine bars. Package stores, also closed Sundays, would be open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and nightclubs from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Municipal officials are to discuss the issue among themselves and report to the commission before Nov. when the new hours are to be put on trial.

Many observers thought that the 2 a.m. closing for night clubs would drive the tourist to other counties. They thought 3 a.m. would be a better closing hour for night clubs.