BACKGROUND

The Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC) initially discussed food and beverage concessions at Soundscape Park, Collins Park and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden at the June 20, 2014 meeting and recommended pursuing food and beverage concessions through the pop-up concept or food trucks for Soundscape Park and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. The Finance and Citywide Projects Committee recommended waiting for a broader master plan for activating Collins Park before pursuing a concession operation at this location.  This matter has been further discussed and developed at the January 7, 2015, March 18, 2016, May 20, 2016, June 17, 2016 and December 16, 2016 Finance and Citywide Projects Committee meetings.

Subsequent to the June 2014 Committee meeting, staff had been working with the New World Symphony and negotiating with their concessionaire, Thierry Catering, for a concession operation in Soundscape Park.  On January 7, 2015, a preliminary Term Sheet was presented to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee for consideration along with examples of the design and menu concept proposed by Thierry Catering. The Committee  discussed moving forward with the Soundscape Park term sheet presented.  Staff continued working with Thierry Catering to finalize projected capital and operating expenses, and to assist with the regulatory approval process.

On September 24, 2015, Thierry Catering advised the City that the regulatory approval process for approval of the building design had become more costly than they originally anticipated and they were not in a position to dedicate the necessary attention to this matter at that time.  Review and approval is required from the Design Review Board (DRB) and Planning Department Staff believed that the Design Review Board would have concerns approving a retrofitted shipping container for the concession stand.  Planning Department staff felt that it would be easier to get Design Review Board approval if the concession stand was designed as a more permanent structure similar in design to the public restroom structure.

On May 20, 2016, the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee proposed moving forward with the Soundscape Park concession.  Funding in the amount of $800,000 was approved in the Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2016/17.  The Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Department is in the process of hiring a consultant to continue the design and construction of the concession building.  The estimated completion date is spring of 2018. 

At the December 16, 2016 meeting of the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee, the Committee discussed that since the City is moving forward with the design and construction of a permanent structure for the food and beverage concession building in Soundscape Park, that the City seek to identify an operator. To this end, the City could:

1)  issue a Request for Proposals (RFP);

2) waive the competitive bidding requirement and engage the services of a third party real estate broker to identify an operator; or

3) waive the competitive bidding requirement and negotiate with Thierry Catering for this concession.

The Administration seeks direction on how to proceed with identifying an operator for Soundscape Park.