Statement-from-Miami-Beach-City-Manager-Jimmy-L.-Morales
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS, Tel: 305.673.7575 PRESS RELEASE
Tonya Daniels, E-mail: tonyadaniels@miamibeachfl.gov
Melissa Berthier, E-mail: melissaberthier@miamibeachfl.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2018
Statement from Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy L. Morales
—Regarding Mokai Lounge’s Special Master Hearing —
Miami Beach, FL – Today, in connection with the Special Master hearing on my emergency revocation
of the club’s business licenses, the City of Miami Beach and the owners of Mokai Lounge entered into
an agreed order entered by the Special Master which we believe resolves the outstanding violations
and effectively prevents the use of animals at this nightclub in the future. The key provisions of the
order include:
1. The Owners agreed that the City had the full right to do what it did, that the Revocation order
was valid and enforceable, and that they would dismiss any lawsuits challenging that authority.
2. The Owners admitted to the legitimacy and factual basis of the five violations and agreed to pay
the City fines in the amount $12,150.
3. The Owners agreed to contribute $10,000 to a charity that provides for the rescue of horses.
4. The Owners agreed to a cease and desist order against any animals in Mokai Lounge in the
future, except for service animals under Florida law, and
5. Very importantly, they agreed that if there is ever a future violation of this order, the City will
have the right to automatically and permanently revoke their business licenses.
The foregoing penalties are a substantial consequence against Mokai, but do not fully factor in the loss
of revenues that the Club endured from the 12 days that they were not permitted to continue their
business operations. This 12-day period of closure further serves to deter such improper conduct
since, as claimed by the Owners, it did have a significant impact upon the club.
We recognized that there are a multitude of implications surrounding the permanent closure of this
business, including the notion that the business does provide employment for many individuals. But we
take very seriously what transpired in that club, and we wanted to structure an arrangement that would
likely ensure that such improper conduct would never happen again at this business. This agreed order
essentially creates a permanent revocation penalty for this business should they ever use an animal in
that establishment again. Combined with the expensive lesson of the fines and revenue losses, we
believe this arrangement represents a very strong incentive to comply, which sends a message out to
anyone else that would ever try this type of stunt in the future.
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