$10 Million Haulover Marina Upgrade Now Open for Business

MIAMI BEACH, FL — A new eye-catching boat storage building that can withstand a Category 5 hurricane and accommodate 508 boats and personal watercraft is now officially open for business at Haulover Marine Center.

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“I am pleased to see this new development at Haulover Beach Park’s Bill Bird Marina,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “Thanks to our parks department’s partnership with Westrec Marinas, we are raising the bar even higher for this world-class iconic beachfront-park and for Miami-Dade’s future sustainability.”

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Category 5 hurricanes have winds of 157 mph or higher. To date, there have been only three such storms that have hit the United States since record keeping began, including Hurricane Andrew, which hit South Florida in 1992, killing 43 and causing $30.5 billion in damage.

Part of a $10 million upgrade to the park, the new facility nearly doubles the storage capacity of the old open-rack system at Haulover Beach Park, which is located at 10800 Collins Ave.

The Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department joined Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally A. Heyman and Westrec Marinas on Tuesday to celebrate the grand opening of the new facility.

“These are exciting times for Northeast Miami-Dade’s Haulover Beach Park and Bill Bird Marina,” said Commissioner Heyman. “This marina project represents the great commitment of our county and cities in making Haulover more appealing and accessible to water-loving and boating families to enjoy the park by land or sea.”

The Haulover Marine Center is located at the northernmost end of the marina.

In addition to the added storage capacity, the facility itself welcomes visitors with an eye-catching design of blue waves and bubbles.

Special features include an innovative elevator lift system for retrieving and launching vessels and the capacity to hold larger multi-outboard engine boats, up to 50 feet in length.

The site also includes a new boat launch, bait-and-tackle shop, bath house, and a new 653-space lighted parking area for both marina and beach visitors.

Funding for the project was provided through a public-private partnership with Westrec Marinas, the facility operator.

"We look at this new facility as a revitalized park space and its completion moves our community closer towards creating a parks and open spaces system that is more accessible, seamless, beautiful, equitable and sustainable, with multiple benefits to better neighborhood living which are the guiding principles of the Open Space Master Plan,” said Miami-Dade Parks Director George Navarrete. “We invite everyone to visit Haulover Marine Center and see all that this park has to offer.”

Nestled in Haulover Beach Park between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, the marina is home to the largest charter and drift fishing fleet in South Florida.

The full-service marina features a dock master building, additional boat ramps, a retail store, a gas and diesel fuel dock, sanitary pump out, boat and jet-ski rentals, boat repairs as well as restaurant Café Azul.

There is gated entry to 152 wet slips, accommodating vessels from 35 feet to 120 feet. Each slip provides access to electricity and water. The dock master building offers a laundry room with coin-operated washers and dryers, vending machines, ice, and restrooms with showers.

The 258-acre Haulover Beach Park is a designated Miami-Dade “Heritage Park,” for its vital role in the community's history, environment and recreational and cultural experiences.

The park is touted as one of South Florida’s most beautiful beaches with a mile-and-a-half stretch of sand shores, dunes and open ocean surf. The beach is guarded by trained lifeguards. Other amenities include shaded picnic facilities, seaside concessions, a dog park and kite shop.

For directions and park information, visit the Haulover Beach Park web page or call 305-947-3525.

Photos courtesy of Miami-Dade Parks