(Photo by Danny Garcia)
ORLANDO | Michael Vacirca, owner and co-founder of the soon-to-open Anthem, launched a petition to plead with the Orlando City Council to reject the midnight closure proposal.
The City of Orlando is considering changing operations in downtown Orlando with bars and clubs closing at midnight versus 2 a.m.
“Businesses can’t survive if there’s a midnight closure, and so right out the gate, we probably can’t even open if that’s a possibility that the city’s really considering,” Vacirca says. “No venue can survive with that restriction in place.”
The petition was created by Vacirca as he plans to open Anthem, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in the former Saddle Up storefront. The petition was created at the end of May and has over 750 signatures at the time of this writing.
Vacirca called the proposal an attack on downtown’s bar and nightlife. He wrote in the petition that it’s not just a threat but an attack on the heart and soul of our city, its economy and its culture.
The petition argues that Orlando’s nightlife is a vital economic engine contributing approximately $480 million annually and supporting nearly 6,000 jobs.
“If we cut off that core business model, it wouldn’t just hurt; it would shut places down,” Vacirca says. “We’re already seeing things pop and disappear all over downtown, construction’s impacting businesses in the Ivanhoe area. The lack of parking is impacting businesses. We’re not seeing strong plans coming from the city and from the state on how we’re going to address these for small businesses.”
Five downtown Orlando nightlife clubs owned by Church Street Entertainment closed at the end of 2024. Chillers, Irish Shannon’s, Cahoots, High Tide and Ember had to shut their doors and cease operations.
Emmanuel Quinones, Vacirca’s husband, says he is concerned about what is happening to downtown Orlando. He is the co-founder of Anthem and he says it’s not a pointing fingers game but a chance to work together to solve an issue.
“At the end of the day, if we keep pointing at each other, we are not gonna go anywhere as a city,” Quinones says. “We need to work along to make this happen because we need to share love.”
Quinones says Anthem will be beautiful, but more than that, it will be safe and a place for expression.
Orlando Police Department data shows crime and incidents, specifically after midnight, in downtown outpace other parts of the city. In April, Orlando police fatally shot a man outside a downtown lounge after they say he shot a gun into the air and refused to drop the weapon.
City leaders say right now the city is spending about $60,000 a weekend and more than $6 million a year to provide police presence in downtown.
“ I really wanna emphasize the city and the community is not the problem,” Vacirca says. “In fact, the problems we’re seeing downtown, the violence, the disruption, it’s happening out in the streets. It’s not happening in the venues.”
Many venues have implemented safety protocols, including ID scanners, surveillance cameras and participation in programs like S.A.F.E., in order to qualify for a permit to operate after midnight.
“ The city council, especially Patty Shehan, have asked bar owners to say, ‘Hey, you need to step up and improve public safety and suggest to us what are some policies that we could use,’ which I think puts their job on us as bar owners,” Vacirca says.
Vacirca and Quinones have come up with suggested policies for the council to consider for the nightlife. Vacirca believes bar owners have a responsibility to work hand in hand with the OPD and with the city council.
List of suggested policies:
- Offer to keep licensed and trained security personnel outside of venues to help with crowd dispersal and de-escalations.
- Security camera integration potentially with OPD with real-time information of what is happening outside the venues.
- Stagger closing times of bars.
- Late-night transportation incentives with ride shares.
- Data-driven responses with real-time complaint systems, not with blanket hours.
- Build a potential community task force between all of the bar owners and local community nonprofit leaders.
- Launch a citywide branding campaign to promote downtown as a vibrant, safe, nightlife zone at night, an entertainment zone, clear messaging, visible street teams and QR codes to report issues.
- Lighting and streetscape improvements for poorly lit and high-risk areas.
- Co-sponsor better signage, sidewalk repairs and broken windows.
- Offer portable restrooms.
- Establish more restaurants that will be open late for more after-hour food options.
Vacirca says Florida, but especially Central Florida, is built off tourism with how many visitors come to theme parks. He worries there will be a decline if the proposal passes.
Orlando welcomed 75.3 million visitors in 2024, according to Visit Orlando, the official tourism association. In 2024, Florida received a record-breaking 142.9 million visitors, according to Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Quinones says seeing the closures of many bars makes him emotional. He came to Orlando eight years ago by himself and didn’t speak English. He says he met Vacirca at a gay bar downtown.
“Seeing that those bars are not there assisting anymore, it hurts me,” Quinones says.
Vacirca and Quinones hope to change the LGBTQ+ nightlife with Anthem, to uplift the community while welcoming allies and neighbors, according to Anthem’s website.
Anthem will be made to serve, reflect and elevate the LGBTQ+ community of Central Florida while also building bridges with the greater Orlando area. They believe in celebration without separation.
“When we do join the community there, I wanna make sure that we’re gonna be able to say this is a safe environment, whether you’re walking between bars or you’re at our venue,” Vacirca says. “We’re gonna make sure that we’re being accountable and we’re holding our staff accountable.”
Anthem will aim to put the community first. They will host benefit events, volunteer their own time to create impact and partner with nonprofits to make sure the community is profiting from their work, Vacirca says.
Vacirca thinks there needs to be space for underrepresented groups, and this is an area that is lacking in Orlando.
“Our donations will not stop at dollars,” Vacirca says. “We’re gonna really be able to amplify voices, create platforms and offer a space for underrepresented groups to gather, to fill, to connect and to be heard.”
To make Anthem stand out, Vacirca says the company will be investing in their staff. He says he hasn’t heard of any other place that will profit share with their employees and plans to implement that at Anthem. Everyone, regardless of level in the business, will receive 5% back from the designated profit.
“Our big thing is, we believe in celebration without separation,” Vacirca says. “Yes, it’s an LGBTQ bar, but I want everyone to feel included to show up whether you’re straight, whether you’re an ally, whether you’re just curious.”
To read the full petition, go to change.org
