Crowds Adjusting to Sunset Beach Alcohol Ban

Memorial Day Weekend was the first big test of the temporary (for now) alcohol ban on Sunset Beach.

Thus far, it seemed the ban is being met with favorably, but hardly unanimously.

Last week the Treasure Island city commission banned alcohol on Sunset Beach, the southern most neighborhood of Treasure Island. The only area where alcohol is allowed on the beach is Caddy's on the Beach, a privately owned establishment with beachfront property. All beachfront areas north and south of Caddy's on Sunset Beach have alcohol bans on the weekends as well as Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Still, on Memorial Day, beachgoers streamed onto Sunset Beach to enjoy the warm, sunny day,  the white beaches and clear, warm Gulf waters.

The city decided to ban alcohol on Sunset Beach as the neighborhood began to become a little out of hand with the party atmosphere where patrons from all areas of Tampa Bay descended upon the neighborhood for an afternoon of fun in the sun.

Jenna Mitcheson, a frequent visitor to Sunset Beach to enjoy the weekend festivities, noticed the problems growing.

"I witnessed the drunkenness, it did get out of hand I will have to admit," Mitcheson said. "Something needed to be done."

Among the problems Mitcheson witnessed were underage drinking and some lewd behavior.

"Especially during spring break, there was no respect,” she said.

Of the many police that were patrolling the beach Monday was Treasure Island officer David Albonetti who noted how much more relaxed beachgoers were.

"It's a lot calmer," Albonetti said. "Most of the people that have approached me are in favor of it because we were starting to have some detrimental behavior.

"There seems to be a lot more young kids and families that we've seen. It seems people are having a good time. Most [on the beach] have a favorable view of it."

One who didn't have a favorable view of the weekend alcohol ban, which the ordinance is scheduled to expire Oct. 2, was Josh Patchell, who lived just a stone's throw away from what was Party Central.

"It's ridiculous, man," Patchell said. "They turned a simple issue into total chaos. This will spread out across the whole island now."

Patchell noted that before the ban, police would only need to concentrate on Sunset Beach where as now, the people that want to bring alcohol on the beach would dot the entire island waterfront and thereby, he believes, take more police manpower.

"It's more of an issue now than before, "Patchell said.”They made it worse."

Though Caddy's is likely to lose quite a few patrons because of the ban, manager Bob Syr was pleased with the crowd Memorial Day.

"We're doing okay," Syr said. "Not had as many problems as we've had."

It was difficult for beachgoers to not notice the many signs and warnings about alcohol use. A massive sign on the entrance to Sunset Beach from the north flashed warning messages. At Caddy's, the property was surrounded by signs warning customers not to take alcohol off premises.

Mitcheson was sad to see the ban take effect but thought the move was predictable given recent events.

"It's kind of a shame," Mitcheson said. "I still go there. I'm not the type of person that went there for the sole purpose of getting drunk. I was just there for the beauty of the beach."