A free AutoCross event on Sunday, Sept. 13, will be the first public event at Miami Marine Stadium since voters approved a 40-year management deal.
The Islander News reported the daylong event, organized by nonprofit Street Racing Made Safe and Fara Racing, runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the stadium grounds at 3501 Rickenbacker Causeway. Spectators get in free. Parking in the Wheels & Waves Car Meet area costs $20, food trucks will line the site, and participation is capped at 100 registered racers.
Key Biscayne residents could not vote on the Aug. 18 referendum but stand to feel its effects most directly. The Islander News noted in a pre-vote report that a revived concert and water sports venue could bring more traffic along the Rickenbacker Causeway, though the management deal would block potential high-rise development on the site.
The referendum passed with 68.56% support, drawing 22,505 votes in favor and 10,319 against. The agreement authorizes Global Spectrum, Oak View Group's event-management arm, to operate the stadium and neighboring Flex Park.
Under the deal, Global Spectrum would contribute up to $10 million toward restoring the stadium. The city would receive 93% of gross event sales after a $33,333 monthly management fee and 85% of sponsorship revenue.
City Commissioner Damian Pardo, whose district includes the stadium, called the vote "a special moment" in an Aug. 20 interview with the Coconut Grove Spotlight. Pardo said the city is bringing back a venue that could become "an iconic global venue for future generations."
The stadium, designed by Cuban-born architect Hilario Candela, opened in 1963 and once hosted powerboat races, concerts and community events. It closed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The city designated it a historic site in 2008, and it joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2018, the Miami Herald reported.
No reopening date or construction schedule has been announced. The city and Global Spectrum must still finalize the management agreement and develop restoration plans.
Street Racing Made Safe, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011, works to reduce illegal street racing by offering controlled alternatives. The group says it has held more than 300 events across South Florida.
The Sept. 13 AutoCross is the only confirmed public activation at the stadium so far.
Upcoming community events:
- Sunday, Sept. 13: AutoCross at Miami Marine Stadium, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Free for spectators; $20 parking.
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Key Biscayne's 35th anniversary festival.
