Furious business owners in Miami have claimed they are paying the price for the city-wide crackdown on Spring Break following two deadly shootings last year.
Locals noticed a huge dip in crowds compared to previous years and there were very few people out on Ocean Drive on Sunday night with many flocking to Lauderdale Beach instead.
The city stepped up its police presence on the streets and there was help from 18 other state and federal agencies.
Those who visited South Beach on the first busy weekend of Spring Break were met with DUI checkpoints and barricades throughout the streets.
But business owners in the area have claimed they have been left to deal with the impact and some say trade is down by as much as 80 percent.
Furious business owners in Miami have claimed they are paying the price for the city-wide crackdown on Spring Break following two deadly shootings last year
Locals noticed a huge dip in crowds compared to previous years and there were very few people out on Ocean Drive on Sunday night with many flocking to Lauderdale Beach (pictured) instead
Thousands of tourists are drawn to Miami every year for the holidays and there have been complaints about those who treat it as a playground for wild behavior.
But city-wide measures which include the tripling of parking fees and closing of public garages have led to a significant drop in numbers.
Businesses have complained about the lack of numbers and Mitch Novick, the owner of the Sherbrooke Hotel, said while the city seems safer, ‘The streets are depleted’.
‘I’ve spoken with other business owners, one who claims her business is down 80 percent,’ he told 7News.
‘Another, a friend who’s a hotelier up the street, [says] the inability for guests to park is very disruptive.’
Footage from Ocean Drive, which is usually packed with Spring Breakers, shows there is just a handful of tourists in the area, an empty beaches and a large police presence.
In another clip, a convoy of police officers on bicycles can be seen patrolling the area.
‘There’s no chaos this time,’ Cort Fort, who is visiting from Houston, said.
Another woman added: ‘Now it’s more chill, not as much people.’
While a man visiting Miami said: ‘We are the crazy spring breakers, but we are not the ones that do the extra.’
Videos show empty beaches in the area
Footage from Ocean Drive, which is usually packed with Spring Breakers, shows there is just a handful of tourists in the area
The city stepped up its police presence on the streets and there was help from 18 other state and federal agencies
Miami Beach Police Officer Christopher Bess said the city was sending a clear message to spring breakers.
‘Our message is clear: if you come to our city, we want you to really enjoy it, but you must be lawful,’ he said.
Police have stepped up their presence and are visibly patrolling the streets with the help of other state and federal agencies.
While those who made it to Miami have to go through DUI checkpoints and barricades and there have been around 100 arrests so far with the strict measures.
‘So, since the duration of spring break, which has started last weekend, we have a little over 100 arrests so far, which according to the data, we’re down about 14 percent,’ officer Bess said.
There were two fatal shootings in the city last year which led to city officials taking action and none have been reported so far this year.
DailyMail.com has contacted the City of Miami for comment.