Should Daytona Beach break up with Spring Break? Miami Beach did.

Should Daytona Beach break up with Spring Break?

Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young told Commissioners that it's time for Daytona Beach to stop marketing itself as a Spring Break destination. Though, he does not want to diminish tourism, but wants to end these unsanctioned events, which strain resources all around. The City of Miami Beach went viral years ago for its campaign to end the Spring Break vibe there. FOX 35's Chris Lindsay talked to the Miami Beach Mayor about what actions the city took, and how it has worked years later.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Is it time for Daytona Beach to break up with Spring Break?

Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young told Daytona Beach Commissioners at a recent meeting that it was time for Daytona Beach to stop describing itself as a "Spring Break destination." He said the goal was not to impact tourism, but to end the unsanctioned, unpermitted events that draw hundreds, if not thousands, to the beach, potentially straining resources to manage these events.

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry and a commissioner both seemed to agree.

Miami Beach did it. Did it work?

In 2024, the City of Miami Beach put out a viral campaign, titled: "Miami Beach Is Breaking Up With Spring Break."

• "Hey, we need to talk."
• "This isn't working anymore."
• "And it's not us, it's you. We just want different things."
• "You just want to get drunk in public and ignore laws."

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said there has been a significant change in behavior. In addition to the campaign, he said the city took additional measures, like license plate readers, increased law enforcement, increased parking rates, and restricted access to the beach. 

 "We had people coming into restaurants flipping over tables, we have people jumping on police cars. It was just not controllable. And now you're seeing families walk down the street," he said.

"License plate readers, DOI checks, heavy law enforcement presence. We restricted the hours of beach access and we raised our parking rates. Significantly"

Volusia Sheriff on Daytona Beach: Water bottles, not gunfire, caused panic | Full speech

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said Monday that there was no shooting at Daytona Beach over the weekend, where hundreds of people were celebrating Spring Break. He said people on the beach smashing water bottles may have sounded like gunfire, which caused panic and people to stampede across the beach. The Daytona Beach Police Department is investigating four shooting incidents that happened over the weekend with the City of Daytona Beach, though none happened at the beach itself, the sheriff said. More than 130 people were arrested at Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach last weekend, he said.

The backstory:

More than 130 people were arrested a week ago in Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach as Spring Break began in Florida, Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced. Sheriff Chitwood also took note at social media promoters, who promoted a beach takeover, drawing thousands to the beach.

He said his agency and lawyers were looking into whether they can sue those promoters to recoup the covers that law enforcement, first responders, and businesses insure due to these unsanctioned, unpermitted events.

Daytona Beach Spring Break enforcement: New crackdown brings calm

Now a quiet Daytona Beach days after the new curfew went into effect, Volusia County Mike Chitwood claims social media promoters are to blame for the chaos a few weeks ago. Chitwood says 

Ending the chaos before it starts

A special event zone was designated across much of the beach last weekend, allowing deputies to double traffic fines, impound vehicles, and limit how many people would be allowed on the beach. The City of Daytona Beach enacted a nightly curfew, barring juveniles from being unsupervised within the special event zone during the overnight hours.

Read: Daytona Beach Spring Break curfew, special event zone: What to know

"What a difference a week makes. THANK YOU to everyone out here making our beaches safe and enjoyable for families. It was a beautiful day at the beach, no takeovers, no social media invasions. That doesn't mean our job is done. Firm but fair law enforcement is going to continue and we're joining forces with the community to prevent future "takeovers" that hold our businesses hostage," Sheriff Chitwood posted on Saturday night.

On Monday, VSO released numbers for Friday and Saturday:

• 250 traffic stops
• 173 traffic citations
• 20 criminal traffic citations
• 94 warnings
• 12 felony arrests
• 48 misdemeanor arrests
• 20 county ordinance violations
• 5 guns seized
• 15 narcotics-related arrests
• 1 vehicle towed