PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL. — The PCB Council has voted to ban drinking on the beach and in parking lots through April 18.
The emergency ordnance comes after seven people were shot at a house party earlier this week.
Business owners said they were disappointed by the decision Tuesday, according to the News Herald Of Panama City.
The ordinance also scales back the time of alcohol sales to 2 a.m. year-round.
The vice president of Hilton Hotels told the Herald:
“It is very disheartening that we are doing what I think will eliminate the good people and penalize them as well as the bad actors,” said Julie Hilton, vice president of Hilton Inc.
Tho Bishop said banning alcohol on the beach will kill Spring Break and he urged the city to reconsider, saying the economic consequences of banning drinking on the beach “is going to be devastating.” He said it will result in more people having parties inside condos and more balcony falls.
Panama City Beach is a city in Bay County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico coast. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 12,018
