Convenience store owners around Mission Bay say the economic downturn was only worsened by a ban on alcohol that was adopted in response to a 2007 Labor Day melee between police and beach goers on Pacific Beach. They say the ban has turned away regular visitors, including the college spring break crowd, sending them to alternative vacation spots such as Lake Havasu on the California-Arizona border.
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San Diego's Mission Bay looking for Fourth of July boost
SNAPSHOTS OF THE RECESSION
The tourist mecca has been suffering, but hotel owners and merchants are hoping that a slew of discounts and the nation's birthday celebration will kick-start summer.
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Basil Zetouna, owner of two convenience stores near Ocean Beach, blames a 40% drop in revenue on the alcohol ban.
"It's the cheapest entertainment to go to the beach, grab a six-pack or watch the sunset with a glass of wine," he said.
But with June's overcast skies almost gone and hotels offering deep rate cuts, many businesses in Mission Bay hope that big crowds will show up this weekend to kick off the rest of the summer.
Said Larry Kaufman, a spokesman for the Paradise Point Resort and Spa in Mission Bay: "July Fourth is a big bellwether for us. We expect a strong demand for the Fourth of July."
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hugo.martin@latimes.com
