City Discusses Future of Miami Boat Show on Virginia Key

“We’ve found a beautiful home on Virginia Key and we intend to make it work,” said Larry Berryman, Director of Miami International Boat Show, which is operated by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (“NMMA”), a nonprofit trade association.

The boat show, now in its 79th year in Miami, initially moved to Virginia Key in 2016 pursuant to a year-to-year License Agreement revocable by the city of Miami upon 300 days prior notice. The move was forced by the renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The city owns most of Virginia Key, including the historic stadium fronting the basin where speedboat races and concerts were held. The city closed the iconic concrete structure in 1992 in the wake of Hurricane Andrew.

The city spent almost $20 million to pave the surface and place electrical connections in connection with the Boat Show’s move to Virginia Key from the Miami Beach Convention Center in 2016. Although the space also served as overflow parking for volunteers and workers at the tennis tournament held at the Crandon Park Tennis Center each March, since the tournament moved to Hard Rock Stadium this year, the barren parking lot that bakes in the sun for nine months of the year.

The debate over the future of the boat show comes at a critical juncture for Virginia Key, fresh off of Ultra’s controversial one year stay on the island, and the current debate over the $75 Million Flex Park being designed by Civitas and $50 Million Marine Stadium refurbishment, as well as recent comments by Commissioner Keon Hardemon about putting a luxury hotel in the park.

Berryman, along with Joe Neber, the president and owner of Contender Boats and Harry Vernon, co-owner of Capt. Harry’s Fishing Supply, began the meeting by touting the history of the boat show in Miami and its positive economic impact citing:

• 100,000 attendees from 63 countries
• $854 Million impact on Florida
• 5700 full-time jobs in Florida
• $60 Million in Florida tax revenue

Mark Burns, lease manager at the city’s Department of Lease and Asset Management, spoke in support of the boat show and its positive impact on Virginia Key. “Don’t forget what this site was before the boat show arrived,” he told the board.

“You don’t have an accurate picture,” board member Gary Milano immediately responded. “We’ve been attending meetings for 15 years, you should stop right now.” Milano pointed out that the Virginia Key Master Plan was adopted in July 2010 after four public meetings with stakeholders coming together to develop a plan for the future of Virginia Key.

Board member Peter Ehrlich expressed that he believed using 17 acres for the Boat Show was a violation of the Virginia Key Master Plan. Berryman said he was unaware of any violation.

The VKAB members, who had expressed frustration at past meetings about delays in the long awaited update, peppered Berryman with questions on issues ranging from environmental impact, revenue and expenses, and access restrictions and compatibility with other activities on Virginia Key.

When asked by board member Lynn Lewis how many boat shows were located on park land, Berryman responded that of the 18 shows NMMA conducts, Miami was the only one. Berryman told Lewis that the boat show breaks even most years with approximately $17M in revenue and an equal amount of expenses.

Board Member Esther Alonso-Luft, who operates the Virginia Key Outdoor Center, a popular ecotourism destination on Virginia Key, asked Berryman to consider moving the event to the fall when hotels and businesses need a boost and adverse impact on marine stadium operations would be minimized.

“Are you aware that the repairs to the Marine Stadium will cost over $49 Million and the cost of the proposed Maritime Center is over $14 Million?” board member Peter Ehrlich asked Berryman. “How can the repaired Marine Stadium make any money if the boat show blocks access from January through March, our entire high season?”

The discussion falls within the larger context of a debate about how to best use Miami’s limited park space, as the effort to lease 73 acres of Melreese Park to Jorge Mas to build a soccer stadium and over 1 Million square feet of retail in a no-bid deal, are before the City Commission.

The development of a luxury hotel on Virginia Key was also brought up by Commissioner Keon Hardemon at the most recent September 12 city of Miami commission meeting. “I think there needs to be something that we have to do in order to make people want to come to Virginia Key Beach,” said Hardemon. “A luxury beach hotel would be a wonderful asset there with the museum.”

Strict use restrictions in the deeds from Miami-Dade county conveying the land to the city place significant restrictions permitted uses.

The 1963 Dade county deed conveying Virginia Key to the city requires an operational Marine Stadium:

Further, the 1982 Dade County deed conveying the adjoining 82 acre park to the city states:

The COUNTY grants all the real property noted in this Deed to the City as long as the City utilizes the said property for public park purposes only. The City agrees to keep the property open to the public, provide maintenance and a level of service equal to or exceeding that which was provided by the County.

....In the event the City does not use the property as a public park, or conveys or attempts to convey all or a portion of the property, then the property described herein will revert back to the County or its successors or assigns at the option of the County....”

These restrictions present significant limitation on future development of Virginia Key, and would appear to proscribe the development of a hotel within the 82 acre park.

Larry Berryman provided the following in response to a request for comment:

We are grateful we had the opportunity to present to the Virginia Key Advisory Board and discuss the Show’s ongoing success on Virginia Key. As we embark on our 79th year in Miami this February, we look forward to our continued partnership with the City in bringing together the global boating community and delivering another $854 million in economic impact for the State of Florida.