Proprietors form alliance to pep up downtown

At a Fort Myers City Council meeting last month, the room was packed with bar and nightclub owners who testified for more than an hour that city leaders hurt their businesses by banning 18 to 21 year olds from bars in the downtown River District - and nowhere else.

Since then, the city hasn't lifted the ban, and many business owners have been quiet or even withdrawn support. To keep efforts alive, Indigo Room Owner Raimond Aulen created the Arts and Entertainment Proprietors Alliance.

The group will also aim to increase events in downtown - such as outdoor theatre, music and showing old movies - and serve as a checks and balances for bar owners who might let in 18 to 21 year olds.

"Even if the (ban on 18 to 21 year olds) isn't lifted, this group still needs to exist to make sure everyone's doing best business practices to benefit everyone in the long run," said Patio 33 owner Roger Mercado, who is helping Aulen gather support. "We want classy establishments that will flourish."

Aulen is courting members as diverse as restaurant owners, condo owners, real-estate agents, accountants and the Art League of Fort Myers. And Mercado is working with the Proprietors Alliance now on a program called "Summer Deals in the District." Vendors like Downtown House of Pizza, Envie Lounge and The Holiday Inn have all agreed to offer customers some kind of discount in June, July and August.

Saeed Kahn, owner of First Street Jewelers, is participating in the program by offering his customers 20 percent off on all jewelry purchases $50 and above.

"The idea is just to do something that attracts people downtown," he said. "In my opinion, from what I see, from what I hear, it's just a case of you don't just wanna sit there, you have to make the effort to do something."

Aulen held a meeting with downtown City Councilman Mike Flanders and others last week at Envie Lounge to discuss the Proprietors Alliance and aspects of his proposal to lift the 18 to 21 ban.

"We're supposed to prepare a position letter that explains what we want to do," Aulen said. "He will present that to council so we can get the city attorney or someone for the city to help us draft up a new ordinance."

Flanders had no comment on the Proprietors Alliance.

Aulen said, "He liked it. He liked what we're doing and he liked the idea."

"I'm talking about setting up an environment," Aulen added. "Dress codes, no letting people in that are visibly intoxicated. It keeps downtown a safe, friendly and fun environment and still caters to all the different age groups."