JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Signaling one of the most significant policy shifts for downtown in years, the Jacksonville City Council overwhelmingly approved a plan Tuesday to push last call to 3 a.m. in key entertainment zones.
The ordinance passed 17–1, with Council Member Mike Gay casting the lone dissenting vote. The measure now heads to Mayor Donna Deegan for her signature.
If enacted, the extended hours would apply to 63 businesses across the Downtown Northbank, Southbank, the Sports and Entertainment District — an area that has seen a surge of apartments, hotels, restaurants and bars over the past decade.
During public comment, Brooklyn business owner Stacy Barer urged council members not to overlook her neighborhood’s evolution.
“Brooklyn has always been a part of the downtown districts,” Barer said. “And it should be considered now in this ordinance… There have been so many new additions to Brooklyn, with the plans of enhancing in the last 5-8 years… we got a lot of hotels, restaurants, and bars adding to the entertainment district.”
Supporters of the later cutoff argued that the change will strengthen downtown’s nighttime economy, keep activity concentrated in designated zones, and improve crowd management at closing time.
“I don’t find a problem with the extra hour in the entertainment area,” one woman said during public comment. “We’ve invested millions downtown… You will have the bars and entertainment in that area. We don’t want to become an Orlando where we are open 24 hours a day, but I agree we shouldn’t do it in other districts where there are homes involved.”
Business owner Evan Rider said extending service by an hour aligns Jacksonville with standard practices in other cities and could make the area safer.
“You will hear tonight that nothing good happens after midnight, but respectfully, paychecks happen, tips happen, hotel stays, Uber rides, jobs — a lot of things happen after midnight,” Rider said. “Currently, at 2 a.m., we turn the lights on and push thousands of people out. At 3 a.m., closing staggers and exits reduce congestion and actually make things safer. It’s not experimental — it’s standard.”
The ordinance maintains all existing safety, security, and operational rules for late-night businesses, including lighting requirements and staffing mandates.
Mayor Deegan has not indicated a timeline for signing the measure, but her approval would put Jacksonville more in line with other major Florida cities that allow later alcohol service in designated entertainment zones.
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