City of Miami voters have cast down a controversial plan to redevelop two prominent city marinas on an election night that saw big changes on the horizon for Miami's infrastructure.
Early election night results show a resounding "no" vote for Miami's local Referendum 3, which would have leased the Rickenbacker and Marine Stadium marinas on Virginia Key to a partnership of developers.
Aabad Melwani, the current operator of the Rickenbacker marina and co-founder of political group Preserve & Protect Miami, issued the following statement on behalf of the campaign:
“Tonight, Miami voters stood up for our community and sent a clear message: our public waterfront should benefit the people of Miami, not out-of-state private equity interests looking to cash in on it," he said.
Referendum 3 asked for voter approval of a much-maligned deal to redevelop two marinas on Miami's Virginia Key. The terms of the deal were from a 2017 bid by company RCI Group, which the city was forced to put on the ballot unchanged owing to a court order following a lengthy legal battle. This led to controversy surrounding the deal, as critics argued the city could get a better price for the marina if the terms were renegotiated using current property values.
Detractors also contended that the proposed redevelopment would reduce the public's access to the city-owned and operated marina at Marine Stadium.
Bobby Christoph, president of RCI Group, countered the criticism by saying the public would have more access to the waterfront with a new boardwalk from the Rusty Pelican restaurant to the stadium, shops and restaurants along the water and free parking.
The Miami Herald editorial board recommended Miamians vote "no" on the referendum, citing public access concerns.
Safe & Ready Bond
The other big ticket item on the ballot was Miami's "Safe & Ready Bond," a proposed $450 million municipal loan to repair and modernize city fire stations, build four new stations and create a new public safety headquarters for the city’s police and fire departments.
READ MORE: Miami voters will decide on $450 million loan as city faces debts and deficits
Voters widely accepted the bond, voting "yes" in a landslide to taking on the debt for the city's police and fire departments.
Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins pushed forward the bond proposal, and celebrated its passage on election night.
"Tonight is a major victory for the people of Miami and the future of our city. By passing Referendum 1, voters have made an investment in the health and safety of our residents and in the firefighters, police officers, and emergency responders who protect us every day," she said in a statement.
Current and former Miami leaders criticized the proposal for getting the city into more debt that taxpayers would have to pay off over time. City Commissioner Damian Pardo said necessary repairs to fire stations can be done with existing city money without taking on another loan.
Oversight committee
The ballot item that got less attention than others was Miami Referendum 2, which sets up an independent oversight committee to provide transparency on the status of ongoing bond projects. That item also passed with overwhelming support.
