A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, CREATING AN AD HOC MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER ("MBCC") HOST COMMITTEE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR A GRAND OPENING GALA AND A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE ("OPENING EVENTS") IN CELEBRATION OF THE NEWLY RENOVATED MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER, TO BE HELD IN EARLY 2019; PRESCRIBING THE DUTIES, PURPOSE, MANNER OF APPOINTMENT, TERMS OF OFFICE FOR HOST COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND PROVIDING FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE LIAISON TO THE HOST COMMITTEE; AND ESTABLISHING THAT THE CITY'S HOSTING OF THE MBCC OPENING EVENTS SERVES A PUBLIC PURPOSE.

The Manager recommends adopting this Resolution.

Background

The Miami Beach Convention Center (“MBCC”) will complete a more than $620 million renovation and expansion in the Fall of 2018, setting a high standard of excellence and redefining meeting and entertainment options for large-scale business, trade, civic and cultural events.

Built in 1957, the MBCC has expanded throughout the years from its original 108,000 square feet to its current size of 1.4 million square feet, which includes 500,000 square feet of renovated exhibit space, a state-of-the-art 60,000 square foot grand ballroom, a 20,000 square foot glass rooftop junior ballroom, advanced technology, and versatile indoor and outdoor public spaces containing art installations by world-recognized artists.

The MBCC design will position the facility among the top most globally significant convention centers in the world and will attract, and be capable of hosting, larger conventions, meetings, exhibitions, shows, and gatherings in the City of Miami Beach, and will benefit the public welfare and serve a public purpose through the generation of enhanced tourism revenue by this City-owned facility.

In addition, the renovated MBCC will serve a public propose by providing quality of life enhancements for Miami Beach residents, such as new public parks and 800 public parking spaces.

This new, world-class venue will represent a critical revenue stream for the City of Miami Beach, as well as provide a tourist and destination attraction, thereby serving the public purpose by promoting the economic vitality of the City, and the entire region.

The renovated MBCC will have the largest ballroom in South Florida, as well as several additional specialty and junior ballrooms, plus 84 meeting rooms, opening new opportunities for the City of Miami Beach to host large, and top tier, charitable and social events.

An official MBCC Grand Opening Gala is proposed to take place in early 2019 to spotlight the tremendous new facility for both Miami Beach, Miami, and Miami-Dade County stakeholders, elected officials, residents, and local and national business and philanthropic leaders.

A citywide public MBCC Community Open House is proposed to take place on the day following the Opening Gala, and will provide tourists and local and regional residents the chance to experience the facilities and learn, firsthand, how MBCC will connect people, ideas, products and services in the region’s largest design-built complex for events, exhibitions, and social gatherings.

The dual purpose of the Gala and the Open House is to introduce the new Convention Center to the market in a new and dynamic manner befitting this multimillion dollar City facility. The Gala specifically, will invite community leaders and stakeholders to experience firsthand the new capabilities of the facility for hosting world-clasis conventions -- in essence creating a marketing experience so that community leaders can advocate for the MBCC, help to secure new and significant bookings, and consider booking their own major events at MBCC. The Open House will focus on showcasing the entire facility for the community's enjoyment; spotlighting as well the expanded and greatly enhanced facility for shows, meetings, and major conventions with a national flavor and a local footprint.  This is a critical moment to share with residents how City funds have been expended, and the direct positive impact the new MBCC will have on the local economy.

The estimated cost for the Gala, which will be an invitation only event for approximately 1,000 guests is $750,000. The estimated cost for the Open House is $350,000, with anticipated attendance of 6,000 guests, free and open to the public.  The Host Committee Gala fundraising efforts will support both the Gala and Open House event activities.  No public funds will be spent on the Gala.

The renovated MBCC will enable social and philanthropic events in Miami Beach to reach new heights, with MBCC  providing a world-class venue that supports a public purpose by supporting local businesses and generating awareness of Miami Beach as an international tourist destination and a competitive destination with award-winning hospitality.

The creation of an ad hoc Miami Beach Convention Center Host Committee (“Host Committee”) to raise funds for the City’s costs in hosting the MBCC Grand Opening Gala and Community Open House (“Opening Events”) serves the aforestated public purposes and should be created as set forth herein.

The Manager recommends the following:

1. A Grand Opening Gala and Community Open House in celebration of the newly renovated Miami Beach Convention Center serves the public purposes as stated herein.

    

2. An ad hoc Miami Beach Convention Center Host Committee for the Grand Opening Gala and Community Open House is hereby created, whose purpose is to raise funds, through the MBCC Grand Opening LLC,  for the City’s costs in hosting a Grand Opening Gala and a Community Open House.

    

3. A Host Committee composed of up to five (5) members, whom shall be direct appointees of the Mayor.

    

4. Host Committee members’ terms shall commence on July 9, 2018 and shall conclude on February 1, 2019 (subject to earlier or later sunset by the Mayor).

    

5. The Manager shall appoint an administrative liaison to the Host Committee.