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Downtown car show permit dispute: promoters say business district harmed by last-minute footprint change; city staff cite safety and operational concerns
Summary
Organizers of a proposed downtown “Cars on First” show said they had a city-approved permit and paid fees, but city management and parks staff reduced the event footprint after another promoter voiced concerns. Organizers say the change would harm participating downtown businesses and fundraising beneficiaries; city public-safety staff said they
Organizers of a planned downtown car show told the Fort Myers City Council during public input that the city changed the approved event footprint at the last minute and that the revised plan would harm downtown businesses and nonprofit partners.
Rick Rhodes, who identified himself as organizer of Cars on First with SJC Boxing, said he followed city permitting procedures, paid a $740 fee and completed site walks with parks staff. Rhodes said staff later reduced the event footprint after another promoter raised concerns to the city. He said the scaled-back footprint would exclude some downtown businesses and reduce economic benefit to charities and merchants that had signed on as partners.
Anthony Rober…
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