South Beach 'brand' suffering, businesses hurt by Spring Break fallout, Florida business owner says

Miami Beach is "being portrayed completely wrong," a business owner and resident told Fox News after the city declared a state of emergency. 

"I moved here 15 years ago, and Miami Beach has become such a such an amazing place to live," nightclub owner Megan Nazari told Fox News. " I think we live in one of the most amazing places in the world, and what's happening to our brand on TV internationally is really sad." 

The city of Miami Beach declared a state of emergency in March for the second consecutive year after two shootings in 48 hours. Democratic Mayor Dan Gelber imposed a curfew that has since been lifted.

"There has got to be a better way to handle it versus using a curfew to hurt all the businesses," Nazari, who has owned her nightclub, Do Not Sit on The Furniture, for nine years. "It has a big economic impact on us and our image. To lump everyone together into this and hurt everyone’s businesses is just not right."

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"We got hurt economically because of the curfew," Nazari said. She added that the curfew was imposed during Miami Music Week, which she called "the "busiest week of the year."

"I did contact our mayor’s office trying to understand more about why we all have to suffer for something that I don’t think affected us when it happened four or five blocks down," Nazari said.

Gelber did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.

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"There are shootings everywhere" and to zoom in on Miami Beach and to "make it look like we have this all the time [is] not right," Nazari said.  

"It’s going to affect tourism," she added. "A lot of people who had table reservations in April and May called and canceled because they don’t know what’s going on, they don’t live here."

"It’s a beautiful city," Nazari told Fox News. "I think there has to be a correct interpretation of who we are, what Miami Beach is about. We’re not about these riots and rowdy people all the time."