Spring Brouhaha

South Padre Island Mayor Barry Patel listens as local business owner Clayton Brashear speaks in favor of maintaining Spring Break during a public workshop at South Padre Island City Hall Wednesday. Dina Arévalo | Staff photographer

Impassioned residents speak of importance of Spring Break

By DINA ARÉVALO
Port Isabel-South Padre Press
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com

Spring Break — it’s big business. And for the dozens of Island business owners, residents and others who crowded into the South Padre Island City Council Chambers Wednesday afternoon, that’s exactly what they came to say during a special workshop the Council held to discuss Spring Break and mass gathering ordinances.

The workshop came with just a little over one week before the famed “Texas Week” is set to kick off at venues across the Island. For many business owners, whether they work in the entertainment industry or not, Texas Week and the month of March signal the return of financial profitability after the traditional “off-season” which begins after Labor day.

But a debate has long been waged about the merits of continuing to use the Island to host the boisterous springtime events which typically draw thousands of college coeds for a week of partying, drinking and dancing away from school. While many people spoke in favor of keeping SPring Break as-is during the workshop, others aired concerns for personal safety and attracting the “right” kind of tourists.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.portisabelsouthpadre.com/2017/03/03/spring-brouhaha/

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