It worked for the Mas brothers in Miami so why not repeat the public land grab somewhere else?
A quiet proposal to build a 60,000-seat stadium in the middle of Tropical Park has hit some opposition in the community. Critics have collected more than 2,300 signatures against the plan which really hasn’t been presented anywhere else except twitter and includes two hotels, underground parking a restaurant and, possibly, a sports medicine complex.
On Wednesday, outgoing District Commissioner Javier Souto issued a statement slamming the proposal from “strange forces” and calling the park a “sacred” space.
“All of us, good, decent, law-abiding, taxpayers who vote in all elections and love our community, our State, and our County know well that some ‘strange’ forces are trying to take control of Tropical Park, our sacrosanct regional park, to exploit it by building a big football stadium, thus destroying this marvelous enclave of joy, happiness, and health to so many people of Miami-Dade County.
“Tropical Park has been called the ‘Central Park’ of this southwestern part of Miami-Dade, serving over one million people every year. Tropical Park is a historical park so designated by our county government and our state government. I want to make it very clear to all that I strongly oppose any effort by anyone to alter the present state of affairs at this jewel of a park, full of different sports and activities to please everyone.
“Also, the beauty, the peacefulness, and the solitude that Tropical Park offers to those seeking it makes it an irreplaceable and ‘sacred’ place to our community.
“Tropical Park is not a place for a football stadium for a University or a College. Tropical Park is not a place for buildings or residences. Tropical Park is a historical park and a special part of our community. It’s a regional park serving all the people of Miami-Dade County.
“We need to keep Tropical Park ‘sacred.’”
Rumors of a football stadium at Tropical Park started around February or March, just as the Westchester incorporation effort was halted. University of Miami booster John H. Ruiz and his family first wanted to put the stadium at Coral Gables High School, but there was no way the posh people in the City Beautiful were going to let that happen.
Read related: Javier Souto pulls back Westchester incorporation post resident pushback
So, of course, they go to the county, where it’s usually a free-for-all.
The pitch is great. UM can’t be a top tier football team school without its own state-of-the-art stadium with luxury boxes and a retractable roof less than three miles — or bicycle distance — from the campus. The university has an agreement to play at the Hard Rock Stadium until 2033.
But the proposal is not just for a stadium, of course.
It’s a repeat of the Miami Freedom Park takeover of the Melreese Golf Course. The plans at Tropical Park also call for not one but two hotels, underground parking for more than 12,000 vehicles and the draining of one of the man-made lakes. There has been talk of a fancy restaurant, some classrooms and a medical complex for UM’s sports medicine program.
All of it on public land.
Take a look at these side by side images. The one on the left is Tropical Park as it is today. The one on the right is the newly envisioned park redesign to accommodate the stadium right on the edge of the big lake. All those little white boxes are buildings.
But neither Ruiz nor his son wanted to talk about their plans, saying a lot of other things including that not every detail has been nailed yet.
Read related: Miami Freedom Park scores yes vote for massive stadium real estate complex
“Our parks are not prime real estate for private development,” said Amanda Prieto, who started the Save Tropical Park grassroots movement and petition.
“As density and growth continues to increase, our natural resources and public open spaces become even more valuable to our communities,” said Prieto, who should know since she is also leading the opposition to a plan to build 160 homes on the abandoned Calusa golf course, which has become a rookery for Florida’s protected birds and a haven for the endangered bonneted bat.
“Mr. Ruiz can build the absolute best stadium in the world — somewhere else, on private land,” Prieto told Ladra.
Late last month, Ruiz released the first renderings of the stadium, which would be home to UM games and also serve nearby high schools. He even admitted that “the process would be very similar to Freedom Park which was just approved by the voters. If you follow their path, we would likely mirror a similar process.”
On Friday, Souto repeated his opposition in his regular newsletter:
“It is very clear that I am TOTALLY OPPOSED to all of these actions by Mr. Ruiz,” Souto wrote, caps his. “Like thousands of persons in our county and other places we love Tropical Park. You have my FULL SUPPORT in DEFENDING Tropical Park against any attempt by anyone of destroying it or doing anything illegal to it.”
Only Souto will not be there past November, when he is termed out and replaced by former State Rep. Anthony ‘Rodriguez.
Ruiz is a determined man, however. He has made improved sports facilities at the park — which has recently undergone some renovations — part of the package. He is going to dangle that in front of commissioners and voters, if it goes to a referendum.
He doesn’t even want to hear from anybody that is not 100% on board. On Twitter, Ruiz only responded happily to the cheerleaders. Legitimate questions or concerns about traffic and park space use were ignored or met with hostility.
“Tropical Park by definition is a stadium. That is the problem with all of you that just yap away,” Ruiz tweeted on Saturday to the critics. “If you are going to argue against me you best come prepared. Unless you petition to redefine the word you simply are just wrong!
“Everyone, you can say what you wish, my kids and I don’t need a stadium as a financial play,” he tweeted Saturday. “We love the Canes, kids and this community. We have a vision, may not be yours but our goal is to make it all work as a win-win.”
There is already a football stadium at Tropical Park, close to the Bird Road parking lot. High schools have played there for decades. It could be upgraded and serve the needs of both local high schools and the university. It makes much more sense than to demolish that stadium and build the fancy one in the middle of the park.
But, then, where would the hotel and restaurant go?
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