Petition Launches in Support of Miami Marine Stadium Restoration
As approximately 100,000 people prepare to visit Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin as part of the first-ever Miami International Boat Show to be held on Virginia Key, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Dade Heritage Trust are launching a petition to demonstrate public support for fully restoring the iconic stadium.
The National Trust and Dade Heritage Trust will staff an informational kiosk throughout the Boat Show, February 11-15, where attendees and exhibitors will be able to learn more about Miami Marine Stadium and sign a new petition, which calls on Miami’s city commissioners to make the stadium’s restoration a priority in 2016.
The kiosk will be located in the central courtyard of the Boat Show campus just outside the entrance to the stadium. For those who cannot attend in person, the petition will also be available at www.SavingPlaces.org/stadium beginning February 4.
Additionally, the National Trust is working with local visual performance artists to illuminate the iconic structure using projections of vintage stadium footage so that attendees are able to fully appreciate its history and one-of-a-kind architecture. The light installation will take place on Friday, February 12, through Sunday, February 14, beginning at 4:00 p.m. and running until 8:00 p.m. each evening.
As a significant annual event, the Boat Show is expected to be a catalyst for the restoration of Miami Marine Stadium. The City of Miami has already spent more than $20,000,000 to make improvements to the land around the stadium, including the creation of a flex park as called for by the Virginia Key Master Plan. Additionally, other positive developments indicate that the restoration effort is gaining momentum:
- A nomination to add the stadium to the National Register of Historic Places has been prepared for the U.S. Department of the Interior and is pending approval by the Miami City Commission. If named to the National Register, restoration work at the stadium would qualify for federal historic tax credits, which would reduce restoration costs by approximately $6,000,000.
- The Miami City Commission has created an advisory committee that will help shape a long-term vision for Virginia Key, including a comprehensive business plan for the key that includes the renovation and re-opening of Miami Marine Stadium to the public. Both the National Trust and Dade Heritage Trust are pleased to have been invited to serve on this committee.
- On December 15, the City of Miami issued an RFQ for architectural and engineering services for the stadium. The response due date was recently extended to Wednesday, February 17.
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About Miami Marine Stadium
Miami Marine Stadium, widely considered a modern architectural masterpiece, was designed in 1963 by architect Hilario Candela and Engineer Jack Meyer. With a football field-length roofline that was once the longest span of cantilevered concrete in the world, the stadium was built to view speed boat racing at a time when Miami was the epicenter of the sport. The stadium, which has been shuttered and deteriorating for 20 years, also hosted stars like Gloria Estefan, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Brubeck, the Beach Boys, and Ray Charles on its dramatic floating stage. Flamboyant enough to serve as a set for Elvis Presley’s film “Clambake,” it was also majestic enough to host religious services and political rallies. Miami Marine Stadium has been recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the World Monuments Fund, and the Getty Foundation.
About The National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded non-profit organization working to save America’s historic places. In 2009, the National Trust named Miami Marine Stadium to its annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, and in 2012, the organization declared the stadium a National Treasure. National Treasures are a portfolio of highly-significant historic places throughout the country where the National Trust makes a long-term commitment to finding a preservation solution. As the Presenting Partner of the National Treasures program, American Express has pledged $6.5 million to help promote and enable the preservation of these cultural and historic places.
About Dade Heritage Trust
Dade Heritage Trust is Miami-Dade County's largest historic preservation organization. Founded as a non-profit in 1972, Dade Heritage Trust’s mission is to preserve Miami-Dade County's architectural, environmental, and cultural heritage. Over its 44 year history, Dade Heritage Trust has saved and restored numerous historically significant buildings throughout the county, and presented a variety of public programs to inform residents and visitors about the importance of preservation. Dade Heritage Trust has been working to save and restore Miami Marine Stadium since 2007.
About the Progressive Insurance® Miami International Boat Show®
The Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show is produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the world’s largest producer of boat shows and the leading association representing the recreational boating industry. The boat show generates $600 million of economic activity each year and supports 55,000 Florida jobs. In 2016, the show will celebrate its 75th year and a new location at Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. For more information, visit www.nmma.org.