Miami Beach commissioners last week agreed to ask voters to increase the local tourist tax by 1% to renovate the city’s convention center and pay debt service. The tax will be on the Aug. 14 statewide primary ballot.
The city has received qualifications from eight teams interested in a public-private partnership with the city to develop a 52-acre Miami Beach Convention Center District.
The area encompasses an existing 1.16 million-square-foot convention center, which the city has wanted to expand for years.
The tourist tax hike would be used, if necessary, to leverage P3 proposals. The plan, estimated at $1 billion or more, is to add another 960,000 square feet to the convention center and redevelop city-owned surrounding areas to include a new convention center hotel, outdoor public spaces, parking, restaurants, an entertainment district, as well as retail, commercial and residential areas.
The City Commission is expected to receive a short list of potential developers on June 6. Those developers will be asked to submit proposals in July, and a selection of the concessionaire is expected in late October.
