Miami International Boat Show moving to Marine Stadium in 2016, Updates

[Serious News]

Miami commissioners approve boat-show agreements
Posted on May 29th, 2015

Miami commissioners approved several key measures on Thursday that further paved the way for the Miami International Boat Show’s move to Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin in 2016.

“We are pleased with the city commission’s decision, which clarifies that the National Marine Manufacturers Association is a licensee of the city with a license to produce the boat show at Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin and not a vendor,” show manager Cathy Rick-Joule said in an emailed statement.

“We look forward to bringing the 2016 Miami International Boat Show to the Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin and continuing to support the Miami-Dade economy while generating $600 million in economic impact.”

The Miami Herald reported today that at the meeting the commission approved a 10-year contract giving the Medley Material Handling Co. exclusive rights to erect tents for special events outside the Marine Stadium.

Commissioners gave administrators the ability to sign deals allowing parking on Virginia Key Beach during the Presidents Day weekend event, as well as access to the city-owned marina facilities and Miami Rowing Club for concessions and other uses.

They also agreed to amend the year-to-year license agreement with the NMMA, which owns the show.

Eventstar was approved to sign a 10-year agreement giving the company exclusive rights to erect tents and other temporary structures for the boat show, as well as any other event held at the $18 million park and exhibit space that the city will construct outside the stadium, the Herald reported.

Commissioners voted 4-1 on the agreement.

The momentum continued even as the village of Key Biscayne filed suit against the city and subsequently entered mediation discussions regarding the show’s move from the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The village has also filed suit against the NMMA, saying the group operated in “closed-door meetings,” allegations the NMMA has denied in court documents. Additionally, the village is paying the public relations firm Schwartz Media Strategies to negatively color public opinion about the show.

Village Mayor Mayra Lindsay has been outwardly opposed to the show’s move. In a statement sent to the Herald regarding the approvals at Thursday’s commissioners meeting, she said the show was “far more invasive and permanent than they’d like taxpayers to believe.”

The NMMA has long maintained that it was not making the investment in the show’s move on a temporary basis, but is looking for a long-term venue.

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/2015/0...ow-agreements/

[TubeCarz]

Damn, this is getting nuts!!

Much like the type of people who move next to a race track or the airport and then sue over noise issue's ...

I witnessed the invasion like influx of people from both the North East as well as the Caribbean into Florida.
It's our fault we didn't put gate up at both the Fla / Georgia line as well as the Southern tip of the Conch Republic ...
It's a little late to complain about the infrastructure and the 1970's era , level of service it was designed to provide .
I do understand , the wealthy living out on the key want to keep out the general populace , but it just goes to show how self centered they are , knowing full well that the property was donated to be used for water sports in the first place . It's too bad there isn't a member of the Mathison family who is young and bold enough to step up and say , use it for what it was intended ... or give it all back ..

[Serious News]

USA. Miami City Commission approves key agreements for Boat Show as NMMA sets the record straight with facts vs myths

On Thursday, May 28, the Miami City Commission approved a number of key agreements that continue to pave the way for the Miami International Boat Show at Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin in 2016. Detailed in an article from the Miami Herald , the site will include high-end on-land tent structures from Eventstar, access to the Rusty Pelican, an agreement with the onsite Rowing Club that will allow for rowing activities during the show and much more.

The boat show's new home is well underway with construction activity as the city of Miami prepares it for the 2016 boat show. Simultaneously, NMMA is continuing to ensure the facts about the 2016 boat show are being shared with the industry as well as the Miami community. The Village of Key Biscayne has been spreading mistruths about the boat show that NMMA is addressing head on with facts. The following "Myths vs Facts" outlines some of these key points. For more information please feel free to contact Cathy Rick-Joule at crick-joule@nmma.org.

MYTH: Heavy traffic and shutdowns are a threat to the ability to move emergency equipment to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne with up to 40,000 people per day.

FACT: Boat Show organizers have been working with the police and fire departments of Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami and the Village of Key Biscayne to develop a plan that will maintain traffic flow for residents and for emergency vehicles during the show.

The majority of attendees will come by water taxi and shuttles from parking located offsite. Water taxis are capable of transporting as many as 25,000 people per day.

There will be a lane of traffic dedicated to local vehicles in both directions.

There are only 3,800 parking spaces on Virginia Key, and those will only be available if pre-paid.

Click here for details on the transportation plan, including a traffic study conducted by the City of Miami during the Coconut Grove Arts Festival showing that additional traffic will be minimized.

MYTH: The Miami International Boat Show has at least two other viable locations to move the show in Miami including Marlins Park and the former Bertram Yacht facility.

FACT: The Miami International Boat Show considered both of these locations as well as many others throughout Miami and deemed them unfit to host the show that the community and boating industry have come to expect. As part of this intensive search process, Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin was suggested as an option by Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and the City of Miami due to the history of the site as a boating destination and the type of facility it could provide for the boat show (including water taxi and boat access).

Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin is the best and only location for the Miami International Boat Show in Miami. If the boat show does not take place at Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin there will be no Miami International Boat Show in 2016, removing $600 million in economic activity from the local community, including more than $30 million in tax revenue, jeopardizing 55,000 Florida jobs and extinguishing Miami’s beloved annual event celebrating life on the water.

MYTH: The Boat Show will threaten sea life, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.

FACT: The US Army Corps of Engineers published a Notice of Intent to Permit in response to the boat show’s application for installing temporary docks in the basin. The Corps of Engineers’ report and observations are a routine part of the permitting process for any project in our waterways—a process the boat show’s management has gone through across the U.S. The Miami International Boat Show has worked with the Corps of Engineers, the Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resource Management, and other relevant agencies that safeguard our environment for more than 30 years. Our efforts at Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin are no different and the boat show will comply with whatever is required in the permit, as always. As a result, any sea life in the area will be protected and respected.

MYTH: The temporary docks for the Boat Show are made of uncovered, unencapsulated Styrofoam that degrade and pollute the basin.

FACT: The Miami International Boat Show is building a new encapsulated dock system that is 100% EPA compliant. The docks are encased in high-density one-piece molded polyethylene tubs that are permanently sealed. This design ensures a water-tight seal and prevents any material from entering the environment. No Styrofoam will enter the environment.

MYTH: The Miami International Boat Show has requested 833 temporary vessel slips requiring more than 1,000 new pilings.

FACT: The Miami International Boat Show was instructed by the Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resource Management to submit an application for the largest boat show possible as it is much easier for them to scale down a project permit than scale up. As a result, the application is for a much larger number of slips and pilings than the boat show is building. The boat show is expecting to have approximately 400-500 boats in the water, requiring about 400-500 pilings, which is less than half of what Key Biscayne is claiming.

An initial field observation study conducted by Coastal Systems International analyzed the basin to determine if there would be any potential for environmental impact as a result of the boat show’s plans. The study showed that there was limited sea life in the basin, including the areas that pilings will be placed. Furthermore, boat show management will work with the Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resource Management, Florida Department of Environmental Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other relevant agencies to ensure compliance with all requirements, as always.

MYTH: Public access to Marine Stadium Park and Basin and surrounding areas will be closed to the public up to 90 days.

FACT: Public access to Marine Stadium Park and Basin and surrounding areas will NOT be closed to the public up to 90 days. Customers of the surrounding marinas can arrange with boat show management any access needed during the set-up of the show, during its 5 day duration and during tear down.

MYTH: The boat show will block access to parks and marinas.

FACT: The boat show will not block access to parks and marinas but will require some controlled access during key construction times:

The Rowing Center will have access at all times, and is working with the boat show to offer rowing activities as part of the boat show.

Access to dry storage at the City of Miami Marine Stadium Marina will be limited for approximately 37 days from January 20 through February 25, 2016.

Access to dry storage at the Rickenbacker Marina will be restricted for 9 days from February 8 through February 16, 2016 during show and set up hours. All Rickenbacker Marina in-water boats will remain accessible with valet and courtesy porters for customers during the show.

All dry storage area customers (at both marinas) are receiving ample notice, to arrange in advance, for access to their vessels during the restricted dates. Vessels can be placed in-water in advance or can be made accessible during non-show hours.

Public access to bike lanes will be open as usual in both directions

News presented by Cathy Mclean

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=146947

[Ratickle]

So, any guesses as to what's next?????

[TubeCarz]

[Serious News]

NMMA accuses opponents of ‘mistruths’ about Miami show site

Organizers of the Miami International Boat Show are setting the record straight about what they are calling “an aggressive campaign of mistruths” launched by the village of Key Biscayne, including issues around the docks, the environment and traffic.

As plans for the February 2016 show move forward, the National Marine Manufacturers Association is saying that the village is inaccurately depicting major areas of the show. The mayor of Key Biscayne has been openly critical of the show, saying the traffic, noise and pollution are a threat to the villagers’ lifestyle.

“The village of Key Biscayne has launched an aggressive campaign of mistruths in their quest to stop the 2016 Miami International Boat Show from taking place at Miami Marine Stadium and Basin Feb. 11-15 — risking the loss of $600 million in economic activity and 55,000 middle-class Florida jobs,” the NMMA said in a statement.

One allegation the NMMA is seeking to correct is regarding the docks, which have been depicted as unencapsulated Styrofoam that will degrade and pollute the basin. Several photos have circulated showing such docks. The NMMA has contracted with Bellingham Marine to create new encapsulated docks that are fully compliant with the Environmental Protection Agency, the NMMA said in the statement.

“We are building that kind of dock, which is very different than the docks that have been used at other sites and events using exposed foam,” Bellingham product development manager Steve Ryder told Trade Only in a separate memo. “With our nearly 60 years of experience in all types of marine environments, we design and build products that will survive in those harsh climates, but also use products that don’t harm the environment.”

The docks meet all requirements set forth by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ryder said, and 10 percent of the dock system is made of composite materials. The rail system is reclaimed and recycled polyethylene and is “extremely stable,” he said.

Expanded polystyrene is completely encapsulated by a hard plastic polyethylene shell to ensure that no flaking or destruction of the EPS core can enter the water. The float shell consists of hard polyethylene made with UV inhibitors to prevent fading and degradation due to ultraviolet radiation.

The NMMA also disputed the assertion that the Army Corps of Engineers has said the show will threaten sea life.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a Notice of Intent to Permit in response to the boat show’s application for installing temporary docks in the basin,” the NMMA said in the statement. “The Corps of Engineers’ report and observations are a routine part of the permitting process for any project in our waterways — a process the boat show’s management has gone through across the U.S.”

Organizers said they will work with all agencies to meet any requirements during the permitting process. “As a result, any sea life in the area will be protected and respected.”

The statement reiterated the extensive plan for mitigating traffic during the show’s five-day visit in February. It also disputed statements made by Key Biscayne Mayor Mayra Lindsay that there were two other viable locations for the show.

“The Miami International Boat Show considered both of these locations, as well as many others throughout Miami, and deemed them unfit to host the show that the community and boating industry have come to expect,” the statement said. “Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin is the best and only location for the Miami International Boat Show in Miami. If the boat show does not take place at Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin, there will be no Miami International Boat Show in 2016, removing $600 million in economic activity from the local community, including more than $30 million in tax revenue, jeopardizing 55,000 Florida jobs and extinguishing Miami’s beloved annual event celebrating life on the water.”

Lastly, organizers say the Marine Stadium Park and Basin will not be closed for 90 days. “Customers of the surrounding marinas can arrange with boat show management any access needed during the set-up of the show, during its five-day duration and during tear-down,” the statement said.

The show will require some controlled access to certain parks and marinas during key construction times:

The Rowing Center will have access at all times, and is working with the boat show to offer rowing activities as part of the boat show.

Access to dry storage at the Miami Marine Stadium Marina will be limited for about 37 days from Jan. 20 through Feb. 25, 2016.

Access to dry storage at the Rickenbacker Marina will be restricted for nine days from Feb. 8 through Feb. 16, 2016, during show and set-up hours. All Rickenbacker Marina in-water boats will remain accessible with valet and courtesy porters for customers during the show.

All dry storage area customers (at both marinas) are receiving ample notice, to arrange in advance, for access to their vessels during the restricted dates. Vessels can be placed in the water in advance or can be made accessible during non-show hours.

Public access to bike lanes will be open as usual in both directions.

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/2015/0...ami-show-site/

[TubeCarz]

The NMMA also disputed the assertion that the Army Corps of Engineers has said the show will threaten sea life.

You have to understand ... the Army Corps of Engineers knows first hand , about threatening .. err ... killing sea life


In May the corps began releasing polluted water from the lake into the estuary and river in an attempt to control the rising waters. But as the rains increased and the lake rose, so did the releases. Billions of gallons of fresh water were flushed into the estuary, where brackish water with higher salinity levels support a delicate ecosystem. The fresh water lowered the salinity levels and oysters, sea grasses and other wildlife began dying.

A toxic algae blossomed in the St. Lucie Estuary and water conditions were so poor that at one point during August, the Martin County Health Department posted signs warning people to stay out of the water.

The Corps recently had cut back the lake-to-waterway releases. The St. Lucie Estuary was reduced to 1,179 cubic feet per second from 1,800. On Saturday, the Corps restored releases into the St. Lucie to the 1,800 level, as measured at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam near Stuart.

[Ratickle]

Nice shirt!

[TubeCarz]

Glad you like it ...

The whole series of shirt's they sell shed a light on how "politically correct" ( read stupid ) we have become ..

Maybe it's me ... I mean , imagine holding a boat show at a place called "Marine Stadium" and not needing a mayor , the army corp , council men .. err .. people , the epa , a sea cow , the Ohhhhbama admin and maybe al sharptin's two cents thrown in .....

[Ratickle]

You left out Gore and Global Warming......

[TubeCarz]

He couldn't be there , his car is still snowbound ....

[Ratickle]

[Serious News]

Key Biscayne and Miami International Boat Show slug it out

Dueling public relations efforts by the Village of Key Biscayne and the Miami International Boat Show organizers accuse both sides of spreading false information regarding Marine Stadium & Park in Virginia Key. Parsing truth from spin can be rougher than navigating the choppy waters of Government Cut during a tropical storm.

At stake is the future of one of the last slices of public waterfront land that hasn’t succumbed to private development, as well as the continued existence of a 74-year-old event that draws nearly 100,000 boat enthusiasts annually to Miami-Dade County.

Back in January, the Miami city commission authorized a license agreement allowing the National Marine Manufacturers Association to host its annual boat show on Virginia Key in early 2016. In exchange, the NMMA will pay the city $1.1 million in rent plus half of the boat show’s net concessions and parking receipts. The city is investing $18 million to create an event space and park outside Marine Stadium, and last week commissioners approved several measures for the boat show’s move from the Miami Beach Convention Center, which is slated for renovation later this year.

However, Key Biscayne is suing the city to stop the event from happening in Virginia Key, citing massive traffic congestion and damage to the aquatic environment surrounding Marine Stadium. The village council and the city commission have mediation talks next week, but the public relations battle has gotten ferocious in recent weeks.

Leading the charge for Key Biscayne is Schwartz Media Strategies, a Miami-based public relations firm that represents Miami’s Downtown Development Authority and several real estate developers and led a successful campaign in 2012 to win voter support for keeping the Sony Open Tennis tournament in the village on a long-term basis. In March, the Key Biscayne Village Council unanimously voted to pay Schwartz a $8,000 monthly retainer to lead its campaign against the boat show’s relocation to Virginia Key.

Key Biscayne Mayor Mayra Lindsay told The Real Deal that the village hired Schwartz to help force Miami city officials and boat show representatives to reveal their dealings to the public.

“We are a very small, lean government,” Lindsay said. “We don’t have a public information officer. Our goal is to put forth accurate information. We are not making stuff up.”

The NMMA last month retained ASGK Public Strategies, a national firm that specializes in crisis management, and that recently plucked former Schwartz Media Senior Account Executive Kelly Penton as director of its Miami office. Penton also worked as communications director for ex-Miami Mayor Manny Diaz from 2001 to 2009.

Officials for NMMA declined to comment, but Penton told TRD that the association brought ASGK onboard to counter “an aggressive campaign of mistruths” by the village and its public relations firm.

“There’s been a lot of misinformation put out there regarding the boat show going to Marine Stadium,” Penton said. “The boat show has typically just done promotional [public relations] for the event. But dealing with [Key Biscayne] required a firm that is experienced in public affairs and crisis management.”

The other goal is to remind local residents and elected officials about the boat show’s 74-year-history, Penton explained. Should Key Biscayne succeed in derailing the boat show’s relocation to Virginia Key, Miami-Dade County risks losing $600 million in economic activity and 55,000 jobs, she said.

“This is the location that best suits their logistical needs,” Penton said. “It is also an opportunity to bring life back to that location.”

Earlier this week, Penton put out a lengthy press release to “set the record straight” on a number of issues brought up by Key Biscayne. For instance, NMMA has been working with the police and fire departments in Miami-Dade County, the city and the village to develop a plan that will minimize traffic disruptions during the boat show, the press release noted.

Penton said boat show organizers are also working with the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers, the county’s Department of Environmental Resource Management and other environmental regulatory agencies to ensure any sea life in the Marine Stadium’s basin is protected.

Tadd Schwartz, president of Schwartz Media, said NMMA hired ASGK to whitewash the damage the boat show will do to Virginia Key and shield the multi-billion dollar boating industry from public scrutiny. He said that even the best designed traffic plan will be ill-equipped to address boat show traffic and that a Corps. of Engineers report concluded the boat show would cause substantial harm to the ecosystem.

“Part of our public relations campaign,” Schwartz said, “includes safeguarding the environment and preserving the island’s appeal among the seven million-plus people who visit each year from across Miami-Dade County and beyond.”

- See more at: http://therealdeal.com/miami/blog/20....y2g2Zi3b.dpuf

[Serious News]

Miami show moves forward
Jonathan Sweet,

NMMA says show is a go at new location

Plans to move the Miami International Boat Show to the Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin face a number of challenges, but show organizers are confident the 2016 show will offer a number of benefits to attendees and exhibitors.

The show needs to relocate from its long-time home at the Miami Beach Convention Center because of planned renovations there.

Miami Marine Stadium offered “the best and only viable” location to host the show in the Miami area, said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

“We certainly did a lot of homework and looking around for viable locations,” said show manager Cathy Rick-Joule. Miami Marine Stadium “made the most sense based on the amount of square footage we required.”

The new location will include 600,000 square feet of exhibit space on land, plus 170 acres of available water with dock space for 700 boats. Exhibits will be housed in a mix of air-conditioned and open-air tents.

The city of Miami has agreed to spend more than $18 million to upgrade infrastructure and the area around the stadium for the show. The stadium itself will remain closed.

Not everyone is happy with those plans, though. The neighboring village of Key Biscayne has filed lawsuits against both the NMMA and the city of Miami, citing concerns about increased traffic and other issues.

The suit against NMMA alleges that the association withheld documents from Key Biscayne that could reveal a licensing agreement with the city of Miami to continue planning for next year’s show at Miami Marine Stadium.

NMMA has filed a response to the lawsuit and asked for an expedited hearing, but on advice of its counsel is unable to discuss the ongoing suit in detail, Dammrich said.

“We remain committed to producing a great Miami International Boat Show,” he said. “We’re very comfortable that our defense will be successful and as a result we’re moving forward.”

The show will be constructing temporary docks at the location, plans which have prompted a coalition of nine environmental groups to challenge NMMA’s application with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The groups — the Tropical Audubon Society, Environmental Coalition of Miami Beach, Friends of Biscayne Bay, Friends of Virginia Key, the Florida Keys Chapter of Izaak Walton League of America, the Cypress Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, Sierra Club Miami, Urban Environment League of Greater Miami and Urban Paradise Guild — are concerned about the use of polystyrene foam to build temporary docks in the stadium basin.

Those concerns, though, are related to a different type of dock system that has been used at other unaffiliated events, NMMA said.

The show has contracted with Bellingham Marine and is investing $3 million for docks that are 100 percent EPA-compliant and completely sealed to protect the water and local wildlife.

According to NMMA, these floatation modules are encapsulated, encased in high density one-piece molded polyethylene tubs which are permanently sealed. The design of this type of system ensures a watertight seal and prevents any potential harmful material from entering the environment.

NMMA President Thom Dammrich further responded to environmental concerns in a letter to the editor that was shared with Boating Industry and published in the Miami Herald:

“The National Marine Manufacturers Association has worked with the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies like it for years to ensure that we comply with any requirements or concerns surrounding our events. Our efforts at Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin are no different,” Dammrich wrote.

“As an organization centered on advocating for the marine industry, we’re acutely aware of the importance of protecting waterways. We represent and work with marine manufacturers and their boating customers who depend on the health of the marine environment for their livelihood and leisure.”

(The text of the full letter can be found at BoatingIndustry.com.)

As for the future of the show, Rick-Joule said the show will continue to have discussions with the Miami Beach Convention Center, but that “we envision the Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin to be a long-term home for the boat show.”

The new location will offer several benefits, NMMA said, including a larger hotel room block and increased parking.

This year, the show has more than 30 hotel partners with more than 9,500 contracted rooms, 184 percent more rooms than in 2015, Dammrich said.

The 10,000 parking spaces in downtown Miami, across the bay and 3,800 spaces on Virginia Key are seven times the number of parking spaces available on Miami Beach, Dammrich said.

Transportation plans call for extensive use of water taxis, which show organizers say can transport 25,000 people a day. There will also be a network of free shuttles to transport attendees from downtown hotels and parking to the show.

Strictly Sail is remaining at Miamarina at Bayside Marina for 2016. There will be free shuttles between the two locations, however there are no plans for transportation between the Miami International Boat Show and the unaffiliated Miami Yacht & Brokerage Show on Miami Beach.

“We don’t expect to lose any traffic. We expect to increase our traffic,” said Rick-Joule. “We believe there will be a lot of excitement around the new location.”

http://www.boatingindustry.com/featu...moves-forward/

[Ratickle]

If they pull this off, I may have to go just to see how well the water taxis work......

[Wrinkleface]

cluster, cluster, cluster!!!

[BBB725]

Bahamas weekend

[Ratickle]

Via water taxi????????

[Serious News]

Will Miami Boat Show Move Hurt Key Biscayne?
By Jennifer LeClaire | Miami

MIAMI—The City of Miami wants to convert the public waterfront land to year-round commercial event space, which would include the Boat Show. Key Biscayne’s mayor argues that plan would choke off the land and the boat slips from public use and create the potential for a traffic nightmare of epic proportions.

Cathy Rick-Joule, the director of the Miami International Boat Show, says that’s just not true. GlobeSt.com caught up with Rick-Joule to hear her defense against the mayor’s allegations in part two of this exclusive interview. You can still read part one: Miami Boat Show Director Lashes Back.

GlobeSt.com: There have been reports that the docks being used for the 2016 boat show will damage the environment by letting off Styrofoam into the water. Is this true?

Rick-Joule: This is not true. The Miami International Boat Show is using new docks that are 100% EPA compliant and ensure no Styrofoam enters the environment. The docks are encased in high-density one-piece molded polyethylene tubes that are permanently sealed. This design ensures a water-tight seal and prevents any material from entering the environment.

GlobeSt.com: How is the boat show addressing traffic and access to Key Biscayne for residents during the duration of the event?

Rick-Joule: Boat show organizers have been working with the police and fire departments of Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami and the Village of Key Biscayne to develop a comprehensive transportation plan that will maintain traffic flow for residents, non-boat show attendees visiting Key Biscayne, and for emergency vehicles during the show. In addition to a dedicated lane of traffic in both directions for local vehicles going to and from Key Biscayne, the plan includes using water taxis—which are capable of transporting as many as 25,000 people per day—to transport attendees from offsite parking locations.

Additionally, there are 3,800 parking spaces on Virginia Key that are being used for exhibitors and pre-paid attendee parking, further limiting the amount of cars on the Rickenbacker Causeway. The plan also includes significant marketing, signage and other communication efforts that will ensure attendees, residents and visitors are well-aware of the transportation options to further mitigate any traffic.

http://www.globest.com/news/12_1130/...-358786-1.html

[Serious News]

Miami, Key Biscayne to hold joint meeting in Boat Show dispute
By David Smiley

Miami commissioners and members of the Key Biscayne Village Council will hold a key joint meeting Tuesday in the hopes of resolving a dispute over plans to host the Miami International Boat Show at the Marine Stadium.

The meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus Chapman Conference Center, 245 NE Fourth St., is part of a required mediation process triggered by a lawsuit Key Biscayne officials filed in February against the city of Miami. The suit, which has been stayed to allow for conflict resolution, challenges the city’s plans to build an $18 million event space and park outside the Marine Stadium and host the boat show’s feature event there in February.

Village officials, who have also sued the boat show’s parent company, contend the city is violating a deed restriction by hosting a commercial event on the site, and that the traffic generated by the show will clog the Rickenbacker Causeway. The city disputes the allegations, and boat show executives say they’ve prepared a comprehensive traffic plan.

If the two sides can’t resolve the dispute Tuesday, they are required to enter into mediation, according to Florida statutes.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/loca...#storylink=cpy