This week at a community dinner meeting at the Rusty Pelican restaurant on Virginia Key, City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado said there would be “good news” regarding the Miami Marine Stadium.
“There will be an announcement soon that we will have access to $3 million to be used as seed money to start restoration,” Regaldo told the audience of about 75 people. The meeting was sponsored by the Urban Environment League (www.uel.org).
Regalado’s announcement was part of a free-wheeling oral history interview conducted by the UEL’s Gregory Bush, a University of Miami history professor and longtime public parks advocate.
The interview traced Regalado’s roots to Havana and arrival as a teenager in Miami during the Pedro Pan children’s airlift in the early 1960’s. Regalado also recounted his time as a journalist covering the Haitian and Cuban migrations. The interview was recorded and will be posted to the UEL website, the group announced.
During the interview Regalado floated the idea of having a “public trust” manage the stadium and hiring promotional companies to book events and concerts, much like the Bayfront Trust manages events at Bayfront Park.
“No condos or shopping centers,” Regalado said regarding uses outside the stadium, where empty parking lots now sit. “Well, maybe a cafeteria,” he added.
Illustration: courtesy University of Miami, College of Architecture Design Studio. Rendering of a restored Miami Marine Stadium.
The City shouldn't be so quick to give up control of a public institution. It will probably never be a big money maker. But should be seen as a community amenity, like public parks.
ReplyDeleteThe area around it should be a waterfront garden, like Bayfront Park used to be before all those concerts cut off public access.
ReplyDeleteWhen you bring in 30,000 - 50,000 people for a major event at the stadium, you need a place to put their cars!!!! Where are you going to do that?
ReplyDeleteIf you're expecting 50,000 cars then maybe we shouldn't be restoring the stadium. It's not worth paving over paradise.
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