On Tuesday, July 11, 2017, the Miami Marlins and Marlins Park will host the 88th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, known as the Midsummer Classic and a tradition that goes back to 1933. This is the first time the Marlins or Miami-Dade County have hosted this event. The event, which pits the best players from the National League against the best players from the American League, is an opportunity to welcome local, national and international baseball fans and provides major exposure for the destination around the world. The 2016 MLB All-Star Game, held in San Diego, CA, was covered by 2500 writers and broadcasters on 57 television and radio networks in 14 languages to over 150 countries/ territories, showcasing the host city to over 100 Million homes.
As part of the weekend and days leading up to the MLB All-Star Game, a series of annual events is planned at Marlins Park and throughout Miami-Dade County. One of the most prominent, popular and well-attended event of this period is the annual MLB All-Star Fan Fest, which will be held in Miami Beach from Friday, July 7, 2017 until Tuesday, July 11, 2017. The MLB All-Star Fan Fest will be held inside the Miami Beach Convention Center’s Halls A and B, as well as have activations on the abutting southbound lanes of Washington Avenue, from 17th Street to Dade Boulevard, attracting up to 125,000 fans throughout the course of MLA All-Star Fan Fest festivities. Major League Baseball has contracted rooms at Miami Beach Hotels for this week, inclusive of the W South Beach, Royal Palm and Gates Hotels. MLB estimated a total economic impact of All-Star week to the San Diego region in 2016 of $80 Million, and projects an economic impact in 2017 of $70 Million to Miami-Dade County. Other Miami Beach hotels and venues will likely attract additional parties and events throughout the week.
In partnering with the Miami Sports Commission, Miami-Dade County and the Miami Marlins to bring this event to Miami-Dade County, the following requests are made to the City Commission, to be amended to Major League Baseball’s contract/ license agreement with Global Spectrum for use of the Miami Beach Convention Center from June 30, 2017 to July 14, 2017 for the MLB All-Star Fan Fest.
· Waiver of rent for the Miami Beach Convention Center’s Halls A and B for the duration of the event, including event days load in and load out, with a value not to exceed $130,000.00.
· Sponsorship payment of $100,000.00 to Major League Baseball, in part, pay for off-duty Police, Fire and other City service required to manage MLB All-Star Fan Fest.
· Waiver of special event permit fees (application fee, permit fee and square footage fee) for the enclosed and ticketed use of southbound Washington Avenue as a sponsor and event activation area, not to exceed $17,500.00.
· Permission to close southbound Washington Avenue, a major roadway in the City of Miami Beach, from 17th Street to Dade Boulevard, from July 2, 2017 at 8:00 am until July 13, 2017 at 6:00 pm, inclusive of rush hour periods, for MLB All-Star Fan Fest activations, load in and load out, per the attached Transportation Department approved Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) Plan and required off-duty Miami Beach Police and Fire staffing.
As part of this sponsor agreement, MLB will offer a $10 discount to Miami Beach residents for tickets to the MLB All-Star Game Fan Fest, and will provide 1,000 tickets to the MLB All-Star Game Fan Fest to the City in accordance with the City’s policy regarding the use and distribution of tickets to events and productions occurring at City-owned venues and/or City sponsored events as adopted in Resolution No. 2014-28638.