ORLANDO, Fla. — A downtown Orlando business owner is calling for changes to the after-midnight alcohol sales permits.

The permits, which went into effect in 2023, mandate that in order to sell alcohol after midnight, businesses of a certain capacity must implement safety measures and contribute funding to help cover the costs of policing.

This all came about after a shooting in July 2022 left multiple people injured.

However, a bar owner said he believes it is driving businesses to close their doors.

Scott Kotroba and his business partner are swamped with bills. For nearly two years, they’ve had to pay Orlando for its after-midnight alcohol sales permit. 

“We're still averaging spending per venue $1,000 per week for law enforcement and a lot has changed over the past two years, but that bill comes on a regular basis,” said Kotroba, who owns Sessions, Bullitt Bar and The Basement. 

He has three bars he has to pay this for, and he said he has paid nearly $300,000 from his bottom line since the permits went into effect.

He said downtown Orlando is not the destination it used to be and with his businesses down more than 40% across the board, the permit is part of the reason why they are struggling to stay open.

“I think we're in a survival mode now, and that's scary. You know, at some point, it does make you want pack up your bags and walk away, but that's not our personalities,” Kotroba said.

Kotroba said he feels they should not be paying a fee at all and wants to revisit the issue with the city of Orlando.

“Not sure why we're still praying a premium after two years of $90 an hour for off-duty officers, and we really have no control over where they're going or what they're doing,” Kotroba said. “I promise you, they're not in our venues and making our immediate customers safe. The goal is to have the community to be safer, but we just don't see that. We just don't see that happening.”

Kotroba said he’s had no luck with the city, and while he did not want to at first, he joined a lawsuit filed by another business over the permits.

“At some point, you had to, it kind of forced your hand,” he said.

Spectrum News 13 reached out to the city of Orlando, asking whether there are any discussions on bringing down the price of the permits. They sent the following statement:  

“The City of Orlando has made significant investments to revitalize downtown, transforming it into the vibrant neighborhood and economic hub it is today. A key focus of these efforts is ensuring that downtown provides a safe, well-balanced environment that meets the needs of residents, visitors, and businesses.

In 2023, the city passed an ordinance requiring businesses that wish to serve alcohol after midnight to obtain an after-hours alcohol sales permit. This permit mandates that businesses implement specific safety measures, such as metal detectors and ID scanning, and contribute funding to help cover the costs of policing in downtown.

To ease the financial burden of implementing these safety measures, the city expanded the SAFE program to assist businesses with the costs of purchasing the required equipment. To date, the CRA has awarded nearly $285,000 to businesses enrolled in the program.

Additionally, the recent reopening of Orange Avenue in downtown ensures visitors can safely enjoy local businesses while enhancing the area’s economic vitality. This development helps keep pedestrians off the roadways and eliminates the street party atmosphere.

Mayor [Buddy] Dyer has consistently supported businesses seeking to grow and thrive in the city’s unique entertainment district, which attracts visitors from around the world. The safety of those who live, work, and visit downtown Orlando will remain a top priority.

The city will continue to focus on this priority, remaining proactive by implementing new programs, dedicating funding, and allocating resources to enhance community safety. We hope that businesses will continue to collaborate with us to make the safety of residents, visitors, and businesses a shared commitment.

Staffing measures of officers need to be directed to OPD. There is pending litigation regarding the ordinance, so we are not able to comment any further.”

Spectrum News 13 also reached out to the Orlando Police Department for comment but did not immediately hear back.

As for Kotroba, he’s hoping they can work together to make downtown a safe and prosperous place for all.

“You know a lot of people say, 'hey, what are your ideas?' And I have plenty of them, so let's sit down and talk and see what we can do to revitalize downtown, because I know that's the long-term goal, but how do we do it now? Because we're vested in what's going on now,” he said.