FYI Miami: February 23, 2023

Bellow are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

AIRPORT EXPANSION LAND: Without discussion, the Miami-Dade County Airports and Economic Development Committee last week unanimously approved a move to buy more than five acres east of Miami International Airport for future airport expansion work and afterward for commercial development from which the airport will collect revenue. The county plans to spend more than $10.1 million to buy two separate parcels from the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority for the “future expansion projects” at the land-constrained airport, paying from aviation revenue bonds earmarked for land acquisition, “to increase MIA’s footprint to the east.” The measure now goes to the full county commission for final action.

VISITOR RECORD: Bolstered by travelers from other states, Florida had a record 137.6 million visitors in 2022, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said last week. People from other states accounted for just under 93% of Florida’s tourists. The overall visitor total was 12.9% higher than in 2021 and 5% higher than in 2019, the last full year before the pandemic hit. The pandemic cut overall visitors to 79.397 million in 2020. Leaders of the Visit Florida tourism-marketing agency have recently expressed concerns about a lag in international tourists returning to pre-pandemic levels because of visa wait times and vaccine requirements.

FLORIDA DEATHS OUTPACE BIRTHS: Florida is projected to have a population of 22.6 million on April 1 and could top 25 million in 2032, a report released last week shows. The population is projected to hit 22.9 million in April 2024, 23.2 million in April 2025 and continue increasing until topping 25 million in April 2032. The report by the state’s Demographic Estimating Conference, however, said growth is expected to slow “modestly each year. The end of the decade continues to be an inflection point with the entry of the final baby boomer cohorts into retirement.” Also, it said deaths outpace births in the state, indicating that the growth is fueled by people moving to Florida.

RILEA ADDS ON: Miami-based real estate developer Rilea Group has acquired for $5.7 million a 12,250-square-foot lot at 31-37 NE 28th St. in Wynwood, adjacent to the 65,700-square-foot site at 56 NE 29th St. that is to be developed for its Mohawk at Wynwood, a 226-unit residential building with ground floor retail, which Rilea bought in June 2021. This addition combines the almost 2.5 acres the company now owns for its two projects in the making, the other being The Rider at Wynwood, a 130-unit short-term rental project with ground floor retail, a rooftop pool and a speakeasy bar, which is currently undergoing permitting.