In a major step in the effort to renovate Miami Marine Stadium, the Miami-Dade County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution this week to allocate $3 million toward the city-owned facility’s restoration. The historic venue, which was built in 1964 and has hosted boat races, concerts and more, has been closed since Hurricane Andrew damaged the stadium in 1992.

The $3 million allocation, which will come from a county fund earmarked for historic preservation under a general obligation bond fund, should make it easier for the city and local preservationists to solicit additional funding, according to Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, a supporter of the stadium restoration.

However, according to an article in the Miami Herald, the county money has lots of conditions. To collect, the city must present a full plan for the stadium’s rehabilitation and a plan for its use and management. It also must demonstrate that it has sufficient money to finish the renovation. Although the city expects to finish the plan within 18 months, the county commission gave the city five years.

Earlier this year an engineering study by the nationally recognized firm of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger found that renovating the stadium would cost between $5.5 and $8.5 million. Those figures are substantially less than the $15 million the city initially said it would take to renovate the facility, although the analysis didn’t include the cost of new bathrooms, seating, lighting, sound systems and more that will be necessary to re-open the venue.

Overall, the funding is a step in the right direction that has city officials and the Friends of Miami Marine Stadium—the group that launched the efforts to salvage the stadium years ago—excited about the possibility of saving the rundown facility.

Be sure to check out the July issue of Powerboat for a more in-depth story on the stadium renovation efforts. And for even more information, check out the story in the Miami Herald or visit www.marinestadium.org.

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