Miami Marine Stadium's fate is now in the hands of voters after city commission vote
By Joshua Ceballos
February 12, 2026 at 3:58 PM EST
Miami's long-embattled Marine Stadium may finally see a new day after a vote by the Miami City Commission that could jumpstart operations.
In one fell swoop, the commission approved a battery of legislation that aims to make the city more transparent and accountable, and revitalize city landmarks and destinations.
READ MORE: After decades of neglect, Miami leaders and activists see hope in Marine Stadium plans
The most impactful of the resolutions passed Thursday will send a question to voters asking if the city should hand over management of the historic Marine Stadium to Global Spectrum L.P., an events company under the umbrella of Oak View Group. If voters approve the ballot item this August, the company will work to restore the stadium and re-open the venue for events. The city will receive a majority cut of revenue from events held at the stadium and pay Global Spectrum a monthly management fee.
This comes after a false-start last September when Commissioner Damian Pardo previously tried to pass the ballot item unsuccessfully because not enough of his colleagues showed up to the meeting, so it had to be cancelled.
At the time, Global Spectrum was under scrutiny following legal issues involving Tim Leiweke, the former CEO of Oak View Group, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025 alleging conspiracy to rig the bidding process at an arena at the University of Texas. Leiweke stepped down from the company and was later pardoned by President Donald Trump in December.
This time around, the resolutions passed unanimously without discussion. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado spoke in support of the legislation during the public comment period.
" I'm here as your county partner. We're excited to move forward with the restoration of the Marine Stadium," Regalado told City Commissioners. "As a native Miamian ... the handful of historic sites that we have left, they mean a lot to us. So I ask you to consider that when you look towards the future of the Marine Stadium. It is iconic."
Miami voters will now decide on Aug. 18 if Global Spectrum can take up management of the site and work to restore it.
People take photographs next to a mural featuring a rooster on Calle Ocho in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (8132x5421, AR: 1.5000922339051836)
Calle Ocho and salaries
Another resolution that passed without discussion was an item to create a Business Improvement District (BID) for Miami's Calle Ocho area of Little Havana.
BIDs supplement local government services within designated areas by providing additional security personnel, garbage pickups, beautification projects and the funding of initiatives to drive more visitors to their districts. These BIDs are funded through additional special assessment taxes approved by local governments. Their boards are often comprised of local business leaders in the area.
Miami has a number of Business Improvement Districts already, including the Wynwood BID and Coconut Grove BID.
The resolution text noted that its intention is to leverage public and private funds to improve Calle Ocho.
"Calle Ocho is a culturally significant and economically vital corridor within the City that would benefit from a coordinated, locally governed reinvestment strategy focused on enhancing public safety, cleanliness, walkability, business attraction, and overall quality of life for residents, visitors, and business owners," the resolution reads.
Talk of a Calle Ocho Revitalization Plan has been stalled in the city for more than a decade, with plans to improve walkability along the corridor remaining in limbo.
Newly elected Commissioner Rolando Escalona, who represents Little Havana, sponsored the BID resolution and has made a point of revitalizing and beautifying parts of his district with trash pickups and community initiatives.
Escalona also sponsored a resolution to create a publicly searchable database of employee salaries in the City of Miami. This would have the city fall in line with the county, which already has a public salary database. The resolution passed unanimously.
In one fell swoop, the commission approved a battery of legislation that aims to make the city more transparent and accountable, and revitalize city landmarks and destinations.
READ MORE: After decades of neglect, Miami leaders and activists see hope in Marine Stadium plans
The most impactful of the resolutions passed Thursday will send a question to voters asking if the city should hand over management of the historic Marine Stadium to Global Spectrum L.P., an events company under the umbrella of Oak View Group. If voters approve the ballot item this August, the company will work to restore the stadium and re-open the venue for events. The city will receive a majority cut of revenue from events held at the stadium and pay Global Spectrum a monthly management fee.
This comes after a false-start last September when Commissioner Damian Pardo previously tried to pass the ballot item unsuccessfully because not enough of his colleagues showed up to the meeting, so it had to be cancelled.
At the time, Global Spectrum was under scrutiny following legal issues involving Tim Leiweke, the former CEO of Oak View Group, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025 alleging conspiracy to rig the bidding process at an arena at the University of Texas. Leiweke stepped down from the company and was later pardoned by President Donald Trump in December.
This time around, the resolutions passed unanimously without discussion. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado spoke in support of the legislation during the public comment period.
" I'm here as your county partner. We're excited to move forward with the restoration of the Marine Stadium," Regalado told City Commissioners. "As a native Miamian ... the handful of historic sites that we have left, they mean a lot to us. So I ask you to consider that when you look towards the future of the Marine Stadium. It is iconic."
Miami voters will now decide on Aug. 18 if Global Spectrum can take up management of the site and work to restore it.
People take photographs next to a mural featuring a rooster on Calle Ocho in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (8132x5421, AR: 1.5000922339051836)
Calle Ocho and salaries
Another resolution that passed without discussion was an item to create a Business Improvement District (BID) for Miami's Calle Ocho area of Little Havana.
BIDs supplement local government services within designated areas by providing additional security personnel, garbage pickups, beautification projects and the funding of initiatives to drive more visitors to their districts. These BIDs are funded through additional special assessment taxes approved by local governments. Their boards are often comprised of local business leaders in the area.
Miami has a number of Business Improvement Districts already, including the Wynwood BID and Coconut Grove BID.
The resolution text noted that its intention is to leverage public and private funds to improve Calle Ocho.
"Calle Ocho is a culturally significant and economically vital corridor within the City that would benefit from a coordinated, locally governed reinvestment strategy focused on enhancing public safety, cleanliness, walkability, business attraction, and overall quality of life for residents, visitors, and business owners," the resolution reads.
Talk of a Calle Ocho Revitalization Plan has been stalled in the city for more than a decade, with plans to improve walkability along the corridor remaining in limbo.
Newly elected Commissioner Rolando Escalona, who represents Little Havana, sponsored the BID resolution and has made a point of revitalizing and beautifying parts of his district with trash pickups and community initiatives.
Escalona also sponsored a resolution to create a publicly searchable database of employee salaries in the City of Miami. This would have the city fall in line with the county, which already has a public salary database. The resolution passed unanimously.