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Front Page » Government » Voters may decide on Virginia Key marinas

Voters may decide on Virginia Key marinas

Written by on November 22, 2016
  • www.miamitodayepaper.com
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Voters may decide on Virginia Key marinas

If everything falls into place, one year from now voters in the City of Miami will get to decide the fate of marina development on Virginia Key.

City commissioners on Nov. 17 discussed a new request for proposals being prepared by the Department of Real Estate and Asset Management, for a redevelopment and management plan for the two marinas northwest of Marine Stadium.

Commissioners also approved a $45 million special obligation bond proposal to borrow money to fund stadium renovation and improvements, among other work on the barrier island, most of which is owned by the city.

Commissioners may be asked to vote on a new bid solicitation package for the marinas at their next meeting Dec. 8.

City Manager Daniel Alfonso said the new request for proposals needs to stay on track in order to afford enough time for review and approval so the proposal – including the vital lease of the city-owned property – can be placed on the November 2017 ballot by the county.

The lease of city-owned waterfront property must go to referendum.

The request for proposals process would need to be completed in July to make the November ballot, he said.

The bid solicitation must be active for a minimum of 90 days, and once the proposals are received, there will be a 60-day review period, said Mr. Alfonso.

The request for proposals was a discussion item Nov. 17, along with a report from CBRE Valuation & Advisory Services recommending the city not take the risk of redeveloping and managing the larger marina known as Rickenbacker Marina.

Without a vote, commissioners indicated they would follow that recommendation.

The idea to have the city itself develop and manage what’s known as Rickenbacker Marina arose from the dust of a bidding war that entangled three private developers and the city for months.

CBRE analyzed the potential redevelopment of Rickenbacker and Marine Stadium marinas by either the city or the private sector.

The firm’s conclusion: “In our opinion, there is a very high risk of financial loss to the city associated with hidden costs and a very lengthy permitting process associated with the redevelopment of the south basin and the development of the [larger] north basin. Based on these risk factors alone, it is our opinion that the city should not undertake the risks and unknown costs associated with attempting to develop and operate the subject. Rather, the private sector is better suited to redevelop based upon their marina specific experience and expertise.”

The conclusion is rooted in the potential high cost of dredging and mitigation as part of redeveloping both the larger marina and smaller Marine Stadium Marina.

A private firm operates the marina that fills the basin northwest of the abandoned stadium. The city has worked for years to line up a new operator.

In June 2015, the city requested proposals to build and operate two marinas, dry storage, wet slips, at least one restaurant and more.

Three companies offered proposals. After evaluation, a selection committee chose Virginia Key LLC, also known as RCI Group. The second and third place bidders filed protests.

After several long, contentious meetings, the battle culminated July 20 when commissioners voted 3 to 2 to throw out all proposals and seek new ones.

Immediately after, the commission voted unanimously to direct the city manager to study whether the city’s Marinas Division should operate, develop and manage a new city marina on Virginia Key.

“This is Round Two,” said and Daniel Rotenberg, director of the Department of Real Estate and Asset Management.

With this new request for proposals, his department is seeking feedback from the new Virginia Key Advisory Board, the city commission and the public before issuing a request for proposals instead of the other way around, he told commissioners.

“That’s all right. That’s the way it should be,” said Commissioner Francis Suarez.

Successful redevelopment and management of the Rickenbacker Marina and the smaller Marine Stadium Marina are key to the city’s plan to pay off $45 million in special obligation bonds for the restoration of the stadium, shuttered since 1992 after Hurricane Andrew.

Revenue from the marinas and from an as-yet-undefined flex park adjacent to the stadium will help to pay off the debt, city officials said.

“We need this [marina redevelopment] to fund the debt we just approved,” said Commissioner Ken Russell. “We’ll need the marina to perform.”

Mr. Russell said they need to move forward with the new request for proposals and make certain to get the new Virginia Key Advisory Board involved in the process, along with public review and input.

The restoration of Marine Stadium has been a long time coming, and approval of the funding was a delight to the many residents in the audience who spoke in support of renovating the waterfront venue.

“Bring that wonderful facility back to life,” said Steve Wernick, chair of the city’s Waterfront Advisory Board.

“People want it,” said Don Worth, a long-time champion of restoring the stadium. If done right, a renovated Marine Stadium could be “one of the great open air venues in the world,” he said.

“With today’s vote you can show the world that the city is serious about restoring the stadium,” he said.

Mr. Worth advised that commissioners should work to devise a use plan for the site. “We need a business plan – it will not rent itself,” he said.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier Suarez told commissioners they needn’t worry about the stadium being put to good use.

“Please, don’t worry about operations there. If you build it, they will come,” he said, borrowing a line from the movie “Field of Dreams.”

A former mayor of the city, Xavier Suarez said a former city manager wanted to demolish the stadium back in 1992.

“We fought to save it,” he said. “It is a spectacular facility.”

He has since worked to get some money for restoration. County commissioners have approved about $3 million to go toward the work.

“It’s a jewel – it really is,” Xavier Suarez said. A restored stadium can host art and music events, serve as an open air chapel, host rowing competitions and much more, he said.

The Virginia Key Advisory Board recommended the $45 million bond proposal and requested that plans to spend those funds for restoration of the stadium and the development of the surrounding areas be brought before the advisory board for recommendations by it and the public.

5 Responses to Voters may decide on Virginia Key marinas

  1. DC Copeland

    November 23, 2016 at 7:12 am

    No mention of the return of boat racing, the main reason the stadium was built. Would love to see Suareza actually say that instead of weaving a new vision for it that includes an “open air chapel.” What?

    Also, there is no way improved marinas will help pay off that $45 million debt unless you build a mega marina and dry storage facility. I fear the stadiums original use will be relegated to the dustbin of history. In short, keep any marina improvements out of the stadium’s racing basin.

    As for that Frankenstein monster known as a “flex park,” do the people a favor and trash the artificial turf and the boat show and make a real park with grass and trees. Move the boat show to the SW corner of PortMiami and leave the Marine Stadium alone. Build an exhibition center there aimed at the marine industry with offices and a hotel on top of a ground floor dedicated to boat display every day of the year.

  2. Raquel

    November 25, 2016 at 11:11 am

    Sadly, those of us who live on Key Biscayne and bear the traffic burdens are given no voice the decisions that affect our daily lives. Our taxes support the infrastructure that enables the Value of the Stadium and marinas. Yet, the City makes decisions without our input.

  3. Bob Deresz

    November 26, 2016 at 9:12 am

    Why does the RFP for the Virginia Key Marina include 26 acres of bay bottom in the North Basin for a 300 slip marina tha requires only 1 or 2 acres?
    They will charge our boats that wish to view the concerts and place a mooring field etc in these 24 acres of what is now public waterway.

    I had asked the City Manager this question a few months ago. His response was that the boats need this area to maneuver. There is no truth to this and not seen at any other marinas. It is an example of our employees working for the interests of the Developers!

    This is only setting up a vast area for further development.

  4. Bob Deresz

    November 26, 2016 at 9:14 am

    Conflicting Interests- CBRE Marine- Virginia Key Marina.

    This is the company, CBRE Marine Services, that was hired to give an opinion on the City running the marina on Virginia Key.
    “We are uniquely qualified to partner with our clients to serve all of their real estate needs.”

    http://www.cbre.us/o/orlando/teams/bkg-jc/Pages/overview.aspx

    Ref: Virginia Key marina.

    Why would we hire a company that works with and in partnership with private marinas advising and partnering with private enterprise and expect them to give an opinion that favors government and the people they represent.

  5. Bob Deresz

    November 26, 2016 at 9:29 am

    Consider the returns of the Dock income at the rates of RCI’s Miami Beach Marina,
    http://www.miamibeachmarina.com/reservations/rates ,

    $30- $56 minimum per foot per month with slips of 40′-
    100’long.

    Do the math:
    500 slips X 50′ long X $45= $1,125,000.00 Each
    Month. $13.5 MILLION each year.

    $675,000 from the North Basin EACH Month.

    $8.1 MILLION per year for the North Basin alone.

    Our return: ONLY $300,000 Per Year for the Marina in the North Basin.

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