Cape Coral to reconsider bar hours vote

CAPE CORAL, Fla – The Cape Coral City Council will be revisiting its decision to end a controversial extended bar hours pilot program.

Monday, the council voted 5-3 to discontinue the program that allows permitted bars to remain open until 4 a.m. on the weekends. An increase in crime and a request by Cape Coral Police Chief Bart Connelly to hire five more officers, costing taxpayers, were major factors in the vote.

Thursday, council member Jessica Cosden filed a request to reconsider the decision.

“If it continues, I think it’s a good thing and if it doesn’t, I don’t think it’s going to kill the bar industry down here that’s for sure,” said resident Bryan Keane.

Cosden says she will be presenting a new proposal she believes is a compromise. She wants participating bars to pay for an additional patrol officer each during the extended hours.

The bars that stay open later, Dixie Roadhouse and Backstreets Sports Bar, already pay a fee of approximately $21,000 to have one patrol officer at each location.

“If the bars themselves incur the cost,” Keane added, “I think it’s a good thing.”

The owners of Dixie Roadhouse and Backstreets Sports Bar say they’re both happy with the possibility of city leaders reconsidering their decision.