Steve Aoki DJs Packed Tampa Super Bowl Party as Coronavirus Pandemic Rages On

Steve Aoki headlined a packed party on Friday night with no acknowledgment of the coronavirus pandemic in sight. The acclaimed DJ performed at the WTR Tampa Pool in the Godfrey Waterfront Hotel, in an event expert are now afraid will become a “superspreader,” according to a report by ABC News. The event seemed to violate local COVID-19 restrictions, but it is not clear if anyone will face legal action.

Photos from inside the hotel show Aoki performing to a packed house, with no social distancing measures in place. No one — including the DJ — wore face masks, and Aoki sprayed champagne out onto the crowd with wild abandon. The party lasted for at least three hours, and locals say that it caused some frightening congestion on the streets outside the venue as well.

“It was an ocean of people,” said Alex Barbosa, who lives on the block in Tampa, Florida where the party took place. Barbosa and other locals guessed that the heavy foot traffic came not just from Aoki’s party, but from a nearby night club called Qvesoir. Both venues were aiming to capitalize on the Super Bowl weekend excitement.

They may have risked fines or other legal actions to do so. City officials have banned operating a dance floor at any entertainment venue, and city-wide ordinances mandate face masks in many public places and strict occupancy limits. It appears that none of these rules were followed in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Qvesoir may be a unique case, as the venue is reportedly in the midst of an eviction battle with its property owner. However, other business operators who are following the rules more closely are becoming frustrated with the ripple effects these violations could have.

“You’ve got venues that are operating at 100 percent capacity, stuffing their places,” said the owner of The Crowbar in Ybor City, Tom DeGeorge. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see a line that’s two blocks long and know there’s going to [be] a dance floor inside. Shut them down.”

Aoki’s performance at WTR Tampa on Friday night was a precursor for appearances by Migos and Diplo on Saturday night, though it is not clear if they performed. Meanwhile, recently-pardoned rapper Kodak Black reportedly performed at Qvesoir on Saturday night as well.

Tampa police and the city’s mayor, Jane Castor both declined to comment on what legal action is being taken against these performers and venues — if any. The police issued a general statement saying: “Scenes from Ybor last night and a few other clubs were incredibly disappointing. The city spent the better part of a year educating residents on precautions due to the pandemic and have recently put a mask order in place for both the entertainment and event zones to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors to our great city.”