Jacksonville's adult arcades may shut down sooner than later

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Those adult arcades around Jacksonville could close sooner rather than later.

The City Council's Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee voted 4-3 Monday to pass an amended bill that would shut down the arcades as soon the full council passes the bill and Mayor Lenny Curry signs it.

The council had already set next February as the date for the arcades to be closed. The council takes up the amended bill on Oct. 8. There are expected to be many arcade employees at City Hall for that debate.

The council has taken up the issue in the wake of ongoing violent crime at the arcades. In the last two years alone, there have been multiple robberies and four homicides at some of these businesses. In one case, an arcade was held up three times before a security guard was killed in front of the business.