Just in the Herald this morning, an article discussing the problems the city has had getting tenants to move into the parking garage retail storefronts, which was complicated further by the Marlins gutting the roster in November.

 

Quick summary:

 

-Only three tenants (a Subway, a cigar shop, and a sports bar) have agreed to sign leases. The earliest one isn't opening until July, the latest one isn't until September (when the season is nearly over).

 

-Several high-profile businesses backed out of deals following the fire sale (Marco's Pizza, Tilted Kilt, and Firefly Restaurant)

 

-The city is partially to blame, since they leaked some of the lease terms to the media on one deal that prompted the Tilted Kilt chain to change their mind on the lease altogether

 

-The only business doing well around the stadium is the Clevelander, which apparently is still doing decent business despite the team's floundering.

 

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/08/3386699/dismantling-of-miami-marlins-hurt.html

What killed them was not having direction in who they wanted- not the marlins.

 

They'd originally wanted it to be high end retail shops---- in a Latin ghetto. That's where they screwed up.

 

Subway- and other companies like it are perfect. I've never heard of those other "high profile" places- tilted kilt might be the exception.

Firefly is a local place that I'm not familiar with, as I no longer live in SoFLA.