Miami Beach moving closer to becoming Blue Zones city

Miami Beach is taking steps to enhance the community’s well-being as it moves towards becoming a Blue Zones city.

“We are really picking up our game and becoming a health and wellness destination,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “We have embraced it through various measures with Muscle Beach, which is quite popular in South Beach. Now we’re looking to expand that into North Beach. Some of the major events we’ve had here, Wodapolooza is now here and bringing others.

“This is in line with that,” he told Miami Today. “Blue Zones is health and wellness in many different aspects, physical activity, as well as good dieting and eating. It really fits in with our image and our reputation.”

The Blue Zones Project website notes it seeks to improve the overall well-being of residents in a community. 

“Well-being is a measure of a person’s overall physical, social, and emotional health,” says the website. “Higher well-being leads to lower healthcare costs, higher productivity and increased economic vitality, and offers benefits for everybody.”

As Miami Today previously reported, from Feb. 5-7 the city was set to launch Blue Zones Ignite, a six-month in-depth readiness and feasibility assessment.

“They did a presentation last night, Blue Zones with our city,” Mayor Meiner said Tuesday, “and on Wednesday, at our commission meeting, Blue Zones is going to be making a presentation and that’s exactly what we’re going to discuss: next steps. I’m confident we’re well positioned to get the Blue Zones designation, but obviously, we’ll have to see what happens on Wednesday’s [June 25] commission meeting.”

Mayor Meiner shared that the presentation on June 23 predominantly focused on how well positioned the city is to become a designated Blue Zones city, and the next steps, which are to be highlighted in this week’s commission meeting.

The item set to face the city commission is written as a discussion-take action item, he said, however it’s an update.

“I think it’s going to be a fluid discussion as to what transpires,” said Mayor Meiner. “We’re looking to get commission input on what the next steps are to see – for example, is there a further fiscal requirement on our part? What would that look like? What would be the next steps? Looking at the recommendation of Blue Zones, because they’re going to have some recommendations as the things that we should continue to explore, expand on, and I think we need commission buy-in whether those items that they’re recommending are something we could do, whether they’re feasible, whether it’s items that our residents want us to pursue.”

As noted in the commission memo accompanying the Blue Zones item set to be discussed this week, city officials approved “a priority enhancement request for fiscal year 2025 in the amount of $220,000 to fund a six-month assessment and scope of work as part of the evaluation process” to designate Miami Beach as a Blue Zones city.

In this week’s commission meeting, there will be a report of the findings, said Mayor Meiner. “They’re [Blue Zones] coming up with a blueprint specific for Miami Beach. They’re going to make a proposal for a five-year partnership with Blue Zones. That’s part of what I’m talking about, looking at the future relationship with Blue Zones, and then the funding aspect … is looking for private partnerships to help with sponsorships of this program.”

Mayor Meiner said he is excited where Miami Beach has positioned itself: as a global health and wellness destination.

“It’s so much a part of our brand, beautiful beaches, a safe city,” he said, “but also a city where we’re excited to elevate healthy living, and it’s a big part of who we are.”