This week, Miami’s Marine Stadium garnered national attention from NPR (National Public Radio). The abandoned stadium, which sits on Virginia Key, has sat vacant since Hurricane Andrew destroyed it in 1992. After the storm, the City of Miami deemed the arena “unsafe” for further use.
Cuban-American Architect Hilario Candela designed Marine Stadium in 1963. The 6,500-seat stadium was originally built for powerboat racing and overlooks Biscayne Bay. According to NPR, the stadium was also where President Richard Nixon hugged Sammy Davis Jr. at a 1972 voter’s rally, an Elvis Presley movie was filmed there and everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Jimmy Buffet have performed on the stadium’s floating stage. After sitting vacant for nearly 16 years, the stadium is now dilapidated and covered in graffiti. It also serves as a favorite hangout for local skaters.
A glimmer of hope shimmers on the horizon for Marine Stadium with the recent formation of Friends of the Miami Marine Stadium, a collection of preservationists and architects. With the support of Dade Heritage Trust, the group is lobbying the City to begin repairs on the once vibrant landmark.
To enhance awareness, the Friends of Miami Marina Stadium have a proposed artistic light installation in the works, as well as a team of organization sponsors standing behind them. Find out what you can do for Miami Marine Stadium. Click here to read a statement from Marine Stadium's Architect, and here to read Critical Miami's take on the landmark.
Photos courtesy of Flickr's SamuraiGhost.
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