MOUNT DORA—A city initiative to help downtown businesses during the upcoming streetscape project by having raffles will not go forward because it would be against the law.
The city was looking at a monthly raffle where people who made a downtown purchase would be eligible for a Mount Dora weekend experience worth up to $750, according to Kelda Senior, the city’s public communications officer. The idea was seen as a way to get more shoppers downtown while streets were being worked on for several months.
However, Andrew Hand, an attorney with City Attorney Cliff Shepard’s office, has told city officials that state statutes forbid this, except for nonprofit organizations.
Because of this, the city will focus on promoting its downtown businesses during the street work and on several planned monthly street parties, Senior said.