Archives

  • www.xinsurance.com
Advertisement
The Newspaper for the Future of Miami
Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
Front Page » Top Stories » Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins ask about running marine stadium

Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins ask about running marine stadium

Written by on January 17, 2017
  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
Advertisement
Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins ask about running marine stadium

The Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins have asked about running a restored Miami Marine Stadium, Mayor Tomás Regalado has told Miami Today, as have global entertainment operators Live Nation, which runs the Fillmore Miami Beach, and SMG, which runs the city’s James L. Knight Center.

“To not subsidize the venue, we need a professional presenter,” he said.

Such interest lends credibility to operation of the Virginia Key city-owned stadium if restoration is completed. The stadium, already underused, was closed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. It has been vacant since. The mayor, who is in his final year, made reopening the stadium his primary campaign plank almost eight years ago.

All four operators run other county venues. The mayor said that in the case of the Heat and the Dolphins, Miami Marine Stadium would provide a 5,000-seat venue to concert promoters who don’t want to book a far larger site and not be able to fill all seats.

The choice of operator would come via requests for proposals, the mayor said. Turning a city waterfront facility over to a private firm is also likely to require voter approval.

The city commission in November authorized borrowing $45 million via bonds to restore the stadium. Last week, the commission chose a firm to study what work would be needed, including examination of pilings that have long been under salt water.

While a promoter could relieve the city of operating costs, it would not fund maintenance. The mayor noted that the city and the county both pay the Miami Marlins annually to maintain the team’s county-owned stadium.

He said a “small ticket surcharge” might help fund such costs at the Marine Stadium.

In a few months, Mr. Regalado said, the city will seek construction bids. The city, he said, will supervise construction within its Capital Improvements Department.

“Now,” he said, “we can say we are going to have a stadium.”

3 Responses to Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins ask about running marine stadium

  1. Olman Castro

    January 19, 2017 at 4:44 pm

    Could this be just another way to milk the system, then bankrupt both after recovering some of the team’s profit losses. Who on earth thinks they can turn MSA around in the era of BlackFish?
    This is just another way to milk our tax dollars!!!

    • Marc

      January 20, 2017 at 6:03 pm

      What are you talking about? The Marine Stadium has nothing to do with the seaquarium.

  2. Alain C.

    January 30, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    Both the Miami Heat and the Miami Dolphins are first class organizations, and I trust them to run the property. Will someone please take charge and get something done already!

  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
Advertisement