Miami aims to preserve the green at new Freedom Park

As work on Miami Freedom Park progresses, the City of Miami is taking steps to secure funding for the upkeep of the 58-acre public park promised as part of the development deal.

Miami commissioners are to vote today (2/13) on two key measures designed to secure funding for maintaining and enhancing the expansive green space guaranteed as a public benefit of the Miami Freedom Park development agreement.

One measure endorses the creation of a special district to finance infrastructure and park improvements, while the other establishes a dedicated $20 million park fund to ensure that the developer meets its financial obligations.

The resolutions are central to the larger Miami Freedom Park project, which received voter approval in a 2018 referendum. The development encompasses a major soccer stadium, retail, hotel and office space rising on 73 acres of the former public golf course site alongside a 58-acre public park. The developer committed to contributing $20 million to the park fund as part of the agreement.

The first resolution being considered by the commission today expresses the city’s support for establishing the LeJeune Gardens Community Development District. If approved, the measure would enable the developer of Miami Freedom Park to petition Miami-Dade County to create the district, which would span the total 130-acre site near Miami International Airport. The district would be responsible for funding onsite and offsite infrastructure improvements and maintaining the public park adjacent to the development.

“The City supports the creation by Miami-Dade County of the LeJeune Gardens Community Development District for the site, excluding the footprint of the city’s new administrative building site, which will, among other matters, assist and support the public purpose of funding and the construction of various onsite and offsite infrastructure and related public improvements for the public park in addition to the allocation of the park contribution,” the resolution reads.

The second measure pertains to establishing the $20 million park fund, as outlined in the original development agreement. It proposes the creation of a special revenue account to exclusively hold the contribution for the park’s improvements and ongoing maintenance.

Under the terms of the agreement, the developer is required to make two $10 million payments. Background documents attached to the resolution show the first payment has been received and the second is still pending. Recent reporting detailed that the city sent invoices totaling $12.5 million to a Miami Freedom Park official on Jan. 8, and permits are being withheld until the remainder of the contribution to park improvements is paid.