I have to do a fisk on this article:

Clearwater may not be able to ban guns at its new waterfront amphitheater
The city can’t ban guns at Coachman Park today. How might that affect the city’s effort to book concerts at its proposed new venue? r

CLEARWATER — In February, an estimated crowd of over 13,000 attended the city’s annual two-day Sea-Blues Festival at Coachman Park. Residents with concealed carry permits were allowed, as they are at every event at the public park, to carry guns into the festival.

The Clearwater Police Department reported no major incidents involving guns, or any other weapons.

See? Once again and just like in the last three decades in Florida, people with concealed carry guns attend public events and nothing has happened.

Those who wished to legally arm themselves at the festival were able to do so because of how Clearwater interprets Florida law. In 2011, the Legislature passed an expansive measure which prohibited local governments from regulating the possession of guns.

I think the word you are looking for is not expansive, but “expensive.”  State Pre-Emption makes sure that only the Legislature is legally allowed to pass gun laws and those local official who are found making up stuff to control and forbid guns, face a civil fine of $5,000. That means the money comes out of their pockets, not the taxpayers.

Even individual events sponsored or run by third-party companies at the city-owned Coachman Park fall under that law, City Attorney Pam Akin said.

None of this has resulted in much controversy at Coachman Park events over the years.

Great, so what are we talking about here?

But now, with the city hoping to build a 4,500-seat amphitheater at the historic park, Clearwater could be headed toward a conflict with artists who do not want to perform in a venue where guns are allowed.

That is their problem, not the problem of the Citizens of the State of Florida, the ones you work for.

“Some artists require the banning of firearms as part of their contract,” Ruth Eckerd Hall Chief Executive Officer and President Susan Crockett said in an emailed statement. “Not everyone, but it is becoming more common, especially for those artists who have experienced threats of some kind.”

Oh, I get it! We know what type of musicians are closely associated with Gun Violence and it ain’t Christian Rock. I have bad news for you, prohibiting legal gun owners to carry or not, if somebody wants to blast the idiots doing bad Sr. Seuss on stage, having a Gun Free Zone established is not going to do much to stop them from spraying them.  The only difference is some in the crown may return the gunfire and manage to move to a secure location.

Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter said security officials, who conduct screenings with metal detectors outside Coachman Park events, ask residents with legal firearms not to bring them into the park. In Slaughter’s opinion, if the resident insists on carrying, the city currently has no legal recourse.

No, they don’t. Again, it is the law and again, as indicated when the article started, there has not been incidents with Legal carriers during concerts.

“I think there are other venues that may not interpret the law the same way I do,” Slaughter said.

Somebody correct me here: Cops are to supposed to enforce the law, not become lawyers or judges and “interpret” the law so the city can increase revenue. That is some scary top cop Clearwater has if he is willing to twist and bend the law like that.

The city’s interpretation could change if Clearwater were to add, as noted in the Florida Statutes, “an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises” to Coachman Park. Slaughter noted concealed carry is not allowed at such facilities.

(IANAL) I don’t think Slaughter is thinking this one right. First I doubt that the State is gonna buy the idea of trying to transform a public park into a bar. But then you run into a little problem: No People Under 21 Allowed  in “an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.” Basically in order to have a bad concert and collect monies, mom and dad cannot take the kiddies to the park or risk being arrested because they took them to a bar. Parolees that are out for a simple walk will be violated because they may be violating the conditions of their parole and I can’t remember what other idiocies can happen if they want to go that way. But the idea of irate parents inundating city hall and raising all kinds of hell and calling the Chief all kinds of names do have a certain appeal to me. Sure as hell would make for a viral video among gunnies.

If you ever have any doubts that there are government officials willing to take a dump on the law and the Bill of Rights just to kiss ass and make a buck, look no further than Clearwater