Marlin2003,

 

I disagree regarding Miami Beach. From what I have read the city of Miami Beach is looking to "expand" not "enhance" the convention center. Adding a second floor was mentioned. Residents (voters) of Miami Beach do not like so many large conventions at the convention center. The hotels are the ones pushing for the expansion not the residents (voters).

 

Initially we were told that variances were needed in order to build new large Hotels on south beach to house the people attending the conventions. Now we need a bigger convention center?

 

 

I think the City of Miami Beach officials are being pretty selfish here. They saw the benefits of a successful baseball team with the occupied hotel rooms in October.

 

There is room for a compromise but the residents (voters) do not want a bigger convention center on Miami Beach. My suggestion for a compromise is for The Marlins and the city of Miami Beach to negotiate with MLB to guarantee a couple of winter or GM meetings on Miami Beach and return the ALL-STAR game which was taken from us.

I don't know how long you've lived here (Miami Beach) but I've been coming here for over fifty years and I've resided here for 15.

 

I'm sure there's a handful of residents who would like to turn back the clock to when Ocean Drive was known as "God's Waiting Room", Lincoln Road was derelict and hotels allowed neither jews nor blacks. It sure was nice too when conventioneers had one choice (Miami Beach) when it came to warm, sunny convention center sites but now they have many choices (Tampa, Orlando, Las Vegas, a dozen cities in the Southwest and California). Let's not forget the mega-facilty built just up the road in Hollywood that is taking revenue away from the CC.

 

Yes its an inconvenience when a big show is in town, restaurant reservations can some nights be impossible but those restaurants wouldn't be here for us to enjoy the other 300 nights a year if convention center driven dollars dried up.

 

Microsoft is a perfect example, they came, they spent millions and millions and had a great time. The city rolled out the red carpet for them and yet in the end they said "we won't be back" until the CC was modernized. Losing MS or the AMA or the ABA costs every resident of Miami-Dade every year they go somewhere else. Without those CDT dollars we all lose, including the Marlins.

 

It would be great if MLB held the winter or GM meetings here but there's a reason they don't, we no longer have a competitive venue to lure them. And I'm hoping the All-Star game will revisit South Florida in the innaugural year of the Marlins new stadium but without a predictable revenue stream from those CDT dollars a new stadium will never be built and then where are we?

 

I'll tell you where. Home watching the Memphis Marlins. The answer is to find a way to do both. Build a stadium and upgrade the convention center so those tourist/convention tax dollars keep coming in.

 

If you moved to Miami Beach you had to know this is a city based on tourism and conventions and selling sex, sun and surf to our freezing bretheren up north. It has been since Carl Fisher invented the place. Your argument reminds me of people who buy homes on Alton Road (a state four lane road, one of two major roads going north/south in our island community) and then complain about the traffic once they move in. It's very simple, you don't like traffic, don't buy on Alton Road.

 

Personally I'm in favor of the proposed and then quickly discarded 1/2 penny, 18 month sales tax to fund the stadium without having to use the CDT. I'm in the minority and I know it. I look at the numbers and accross the board, low income to multi-millionaire, I believe it is an affordable and painless way to fund construction.

 

No expansion or upgrading of the convention center translates into a loss of tourist tax dollars that are needed by the city (our Quality of Life funds come from tourist tax dollars), the county and the region. It also means it will be impossible to create the stream of revenue needed to finance a stadium. Don't kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

There's a thread, concerning the new ballpark/Orange Bowl renovation, on the canestime.com board. It was posted that David Samson spoke this morning at the City Club.

The poster, who was at the meeting, said that D.S. discussed general concepts, didn't get into specifics; but Samson was fairly confident that a plan is going to be on the table by the deadline.

 

This poster seems credible, in fact he seems like the only person that's been following the events, I've been reading their board since the OB project was 1st announced. But he still could be wrong or not told everything that's going on behind the scene.

Marlins2003,

 

You missed what i said. I said i have read they are going to "expand" not "enhance". i am all for the Miami beach being a first class updated facility (enhancement). Bigger is not always better. The Beach can not hold a bigger facility like some of these other communities with more land and parking. For years the Beach has competed with Ft. lauderdale to always have the biggest boat show, it is absurd. they need to focus on being the best venue they can be at this size.

You have me by a few years but i have been in So Fla for over 30 years and a resident of Miami Beach over 10 and I am certain that you are in The minority with your views as you stated. You seem very knowledgeable but somewhat out of touch.

 

Take a walk around south point and along west ave on south beach. Those buildings represent a tremendous windfall in increased tax base that makes your CDT look like chump change. Not to mention those residents actually vote for the elected officials.

 

As far as your contention that we don't have a competitive venue to lure the winter meetings anymore you are just wrong. The loews Hotel is as adequate as the breakers, or the phoenician. It is not a size issue. Did you just make that up?

 

"Our quality of life funds come from tourist tax dollar"

 

Don't believe everything the mayor tells you. The convention center is a small portion of our tourist related income. Tourism is the biggest industry in Florida and Miami Beach, but guess what, people are coming here for the weather first and foremost.

 

The convention center is not the goose that cooked the golden egg my friend. I am not suggesting letting the convention center get destroyed or even let it become second class. What i am saying is lets run a first class convention center at its current size with conventions in its niche.

I would hope this Arena sale goes through so that more money is freed by the cities and county to do both projects.

It already is second class, that's the problem.

 

And I read every word you wrote, several times, and I understand what "expansion" means.

 

I agree the Loews is a terrific venue for smallish, high-end events, but the Fountainbleau used to be #1 too, and look at it now. If you don't remain competitive, people will look elsewhere. The expansion, as I understand it, is primarily parking and a ballroom, redoing the existing second floor which is poorly laid out for the needs of today's conventioneer. Many other CCs already boast things we can only wish for. Take a drive (or fly) up to orlando and look at their new convention center and tell me why any convention planner would come here if that facility is available.

 

As for "Quality of Life" which is capital Q, capital O, capital L, perhaps you don't understand, those are specific dollars we receive from the CDT and are spread out throughout the entire city, south, mid and north beach, and they are used to fund numerous projects that would otherwise never get done. Those dollars are one of the reasons we haven't had a property tax increase in years. I wasn't saying they enhance our quality of life, that's what the program is called, "Quality of Life".

 

I'm not so sure it isn't you who is in the minority. I think most voters understand the importance of convention center and yes, I happen to agree it does become difficult sometimes when there's big show in town, but it comes with the territory. Don't take this the wrong way, because I have no problem with your position, that's what debate is all about, but you moved to a city that's based on tourism. What did you expect? The same way MIA needs to grow to service the increased needs of air travelers (from around the world), so does the convention center.

 

Funny you should mention the mayor. He'd laugh his butt off hearing you think I'm in lockstep with him. I've told him he's all wrong about the Marlins and the CC, that he ought to be out there fighting to save the Marlins and I disagree with his tactics of painting Loria as an evil millionaire raping South Florida. It doesn't accomplsih anything for him politically, or for Miami Beach.

 

You don't want to expand the CC, I do. I want every possible convention we can get our hands on. And for the record, so you know, I have no affiliation with the administration nor do I an economic (other than as a resident) incentive, I retired at age 42 to Miami Beach and remain retired. I have zero business interest here, they are elsewhere.

 

Like I said before, I'll put up with all the conventioneers and gladly enjoy Miami Beach the days and nights they aren't here.

 

But at the same time I live for the Fish. And in my mind, a healthy South Florida economy, based on tourists and conventions will benefit the city and the Marlins equally.

You seem like a smart guy but you are having difficulty with what I am saying. Let me make it real simple......

 

I am for spending money to enhance the current facility.

 

I am against spending money to make the facility any bigger.

 

The following are facts:

 

Most of Miami Beach is against making the current facility bigger.

 

Miami Beach is a tremendous tourist destination because of the weather not because the convention center. Never was because of the Convention center.

 

**

You are a knowlegeable baseball fan based on your posts but in your posts regarding Miami Beach you jump around and don't follow the topic from previous posts.

 

First you told me we couldn't have the baseball winter meetings here. Then i told you the Loews would be perfect. Your response was "the foutainbeau used to be nice" ??? Is that a conversation????

 

My first post stated that a compromise could be made and I made a suggestion. I just don't think it serves anyone to get bigger. There is no room. Let's get back to baseball..............

At this point let's agree to disagree. Neither of us can lay claim to speaking for the majority of Miami Beach residents.

I'm all for upgrading the Convention Center, but enlarging it? That thing is huge, not even during Art Basel do they use the whole thing.