At the September 17, 2021 Commission meeting, a discussion on launching a health and wellness incentive initiative was referred to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC).

During the October 22, 2021 FERC meeting, Commissioner Arriola focused on having health and wellness at the forefront of the community by using initiatives such as festivals, activating parks and other ideas. The Parks and Recreation Director, John Rebar, gave an update on several ideas that the department has been focusing on with the goal of the initiative to build an annual, on-going calendar of programs (such as yoga, bootcamps, etc.), in addition to high-end events and opportunities that will expose and bring health and wellness awareness to participants and spectators.

Ideas included large scale fitness competitions similar in nature to Ragnar, Tough Mudd and Wodapalooza. Other concepts may include a “Battle of the Gyms” to engage local gyms to showcase their offerings in the park or beach, partnerships with local and global health and wellness partners, Citywide fitness challenges, watersports competitions such as beach open swims and paddle boarding, and several free fitness opportunities for all ages and levels.

Since the October 2021 FERC meeting, the department has begun executing some of these ideas and is actively planning for more.

Since the last update during the February 25, 2022 FERC meeting, the Department is currently under negotiations with the selected proposer that was approved via Resolution No. 2022-3186, awarding a contract pursuant to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2021-320-AY for Fitness Programming at Lummus Park. If successful, the City Manager and City Clerk will execute an agreement and if unsuccessful, the Department will begin discussions with the next proposer.

In April, the Department partnered with the Soccer for Life Foundation to administer a soccer clinic program aimed at bringing free instruction to promote the game and increase soccer accessibility in South Florida at the Flamingo Park Football Stadium.  Instruction is given to participants in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade who are currently enrolled in City of Miami Beach Parks and Recreation After School Program at Flamingo Park.

Below is a list of health and wellness activations the Department will be implementing for the community:

• May 2022: Partnership with Upright City to establish and administer free soccer training classes for senior citizens. Through the program, participants will be able to engage and enjoy the game of soccer by getting outdoors to enhance their motor skills, build confidence, get exercise, build a team culture, improve mental and physical health, and promote a life-long passion for the sport. The program will take place at the Flamingo Park Football Stadium.
•  June 2022: Partnership with Skateboard Supercross LLC to establish and administer a youth skateboard program for participants in grades 2-8 focusing on teaching participants how to skateboard at the City’s Skate Park on 82nd & Collins.  
•  June 2022: June 1^st – 7^th is National CPR & AED Awareness Week. The Department will be offering free classes for residents to learn Hands-Only CPR. Participants will learn the two simple steps of Hands-Only CPR – Call 911 & Push Hard and Fast in the Center of the Chest until Help Arrives.
•  Spring and Summer 2022: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling classes and camps will be held at Flamingo and North Shore Park for youth and adults.
•  Spring and Summer 2022: Free technical boxing and fitness classes will be offered at the City’s Collins Park Garage where basic punches and boxing movements will be taught that correspond with certain workout stations.

Below is a list of health and wellness activations the Department is currently exploring for the community:

• Summer/Fall 2022: The Department is exploring a “Battle of the Gyms” event, where trainers from various local fitness and gyms in Miami Beach will come out to Lummus Park and compete in Field Day events.
•  October 2022: The Department is interested in coordinating with local fitness and gym locations to allow residents to go from site to site with a punch-card to experience 15-20-minute workouts at each of the various health and wellness locations.
•  November 2022: The Department is exploring offering “The Big Sweat before the Turkey Sweat” fitness class. This will be offered at no cost and will take place at the Flamingo Park Football Stadium.

The Department is also focusing on bringing large scale events to the City, which will generate a greater awareness to health and wellness in the City. Most recently, the Department engaged with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (the “GMCVB”) to provide park offerings for events and sports tourism related activities. As a result, the GMCVB connected the Department with a new fast-paced beach volleyball tournament called “King of the Court.” This sport was created in the Netherlands by Wilco Nijland. It is on its way to becoming the third volleyball discipline on the Olympics’ roster.

The King of the Court will bring the world’s best volleyball players together for a 4-day tournament in Miami Beach with a total of 80 athletes, 20 teams per gender. This 4-day event has the possibility to offer a local benefit of including local volleyball players, once qualified, and a fan village with entertainment for all attendees. The tournament offers 10 sessions, with each session offering a women’s game, entertainment and a men’s game. Tickets will be sold by the session. The stadium can be built to hold 1,500-2,000 seats. The ideal location for this event would be in the South Beach area on the hardpack, showcasing Ocean Drive and the beach. This would be the first official major King of the Court event in the United States. The tentative date for the tournament is the beginning of March 2023, to attract the best athletes and in turn, the most attendees. The event will have international sports media coverage. The estimated total budget for this event is between $1.5-$2 million and the host City is being asked to contribute an estimated $655,000. The City’s contribution can be covered by sponsorship if acquired.

The Department has also met with an event production company to explore additional health and wellness events for the City in 2023. The Department exploring a “Sand X Challenge” event. This event uses the natural landscape of the beach to form an obstacle course for fitness enthusiast to come together and compete. The format of the event is flexible and can be done over the course of 2 days, allowing for a competitive component and then a recreational use for the community. The cost to produce this event is $500,000. It is currently based on a 2-day event for 500 participants. The Department is also looking into an Inflatable Obstacle Course event. This event will include over 10 inflatables offering different aspects such as land and water. The format is designed for all levels to participate and compete with a timing chip. It can also be done as a 2-day event to appeal to athletic groups, individuals and even those who want to experience the course recreationally. The cost to produce this event is $300,000. Both events can be scaled to meet the City’s needs.

Additionally, as directed by the Committee, the Department has been speaking with Boucher Brothers Miami Beach, LLC to explore opportunities to work with them on health and fitness activations. Together with Boucher Brothers Miami Beach, LLC, the Department is currently in the process of exploring options for activations such as, but not limited to, Pickleball, Padel, Yoga and Fitness Cycling.  The Department will report back to FERC once a more defined proposal is available. 

Based on the feedback from the Committee, the Department will continue to pursue the above ideas and explore additional options that showcase health and wellness in the City on a local level and internationally.

Continue discussions regarding the City’s ongoing Health and Wellness Incentive Initiative and return with an update at the June 2022 FERC committee meeting.