$62m rescue of abandoned stadium left to rot after devastating hurricane hit by major setback

Miami Marine Stadium is the focus of an ambitious plan to revive the unique waterfront site.

Built as a powerboat racing stadium in 1963, it was shuttered after damage caused when Hurricane Andrew ravaged Florida in 1992.

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The concrete crumbled and a photoshoot with Travis Kelce earlier this year showed how Graffiti covered the once-proud structure.

In August, it was announced that a private operator had been brought in amid a plan to turn the stadium into a world-class concert venue.

“I grew up with this iconic structure that had many kinds of events, from concerts to motorboat racing, to have it sitting there for so long with no use and without people being able to enjoy, it really has been a crime,” said Damian Pardo, District 2 Commissioner for the City of Miami in an official statement.

Two City of Miami ballot amendments were expected in November in order to confirm the plan, but the meeting where they were due to be added was cancelled because not enough city commissioners showed up.

Only Pardo and Commissioner Ralph Rosado were at City Hall.

Miami Marine Stadium plan in limbo

Unfortunately, the CEO of Oak View Group — the parent company of Global Spectrum LP that won the bid to manage the stadium — was indicted in an alleged bid rigging scheme in Texas.

The Department of Justice alleged that Tim Leiweke rigged a bid to manage events at the Moody Center, which is on the University of Texas at Austin’s campus.

City manager Art Noriega was told about the indictment when a Miami Herald reporter emailed the city asking for response.

“I didn’t know about the indictment,” Noriega said via WLRN. “I wasn’t comfortable and I don’t think the electeds were comfortable moving forward right now.”

Per Variety, the Leiweke indictment was sealed and charges were dismissed after $15 million in penalties were paid by the company.

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Leiweke denied wrongdoing. He stepped down as CEO and became a vice chairman of the company.

Noriega says that the company could still be considered but that he wasn’t prepared to move forward at this stage.

“We’re just going to put it on hold for now while we continue to do some work. The hope is maybe we come up with a strategy to address some of those issues, and we come back to the commission at some point,” he said.

Residents were left gutted at the news after decades of seeing the iconic venue neglected.

WLRN revealed that the City was due to receive 93 percent of gross sales via a 40-year contract, minus a $33,333 monthly fee from the company. It would also keep 85 percent of sponsorship revenue.

The City is expected to need to contribute around $65 million to fund the renovation if the plan does go ahead.

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Marine Stadium featured in GQ magazine in August with Kelce seen flying over water in a jet pack.

Jimmy Buffet and Sammy Davis Jr. have both performed there, Richard Nixon used it for a rally and a Catholic Mass was held on Sundays for Cuban refugees.

“The community felt right away that it was open, it was accessible. It was to celebrate the point where the water and the land come together,” Cuban-born architect Hilario Candela told WLRN in 2013.

There is still hope, but for now, Marine Stadium remains a stunning backdrop for a photoshoot and historical monument.