The City of Miami is looking to sell the historic Olympia Theater to a charter school after years of restoration work on the century-old building.
An item on the commission’s agenda for tomorrow would deed the Olympia property over to Sports Leadership and Management or SLAM. That's the school founded by musical artist Pitbull. SLAM is also under the umbrella of Academica: one of the largest charter school networks in the U.S.
At least 4 of 5 commissioners must vote in favor of the item to sell the theater.
The Olympia is a historic theater that first opened in 1926. The theater was a beacon for Miami arts as it invited orchestras, movies and famous performers like Elvis Presley into its European palace-style interior.
READ MORE: Repair and re-opening still far away for historic Olympia Theater in Miami
The theater only recently re-opened to movies after five years of maintenance.
The Miami Film Festival returned to the Olympia as its marquee venue this past April after a yearslong hiatus. The property is owned by the City of Miami, and since around 2020 it was only open for certain interactive art exhibits — not for movies or live performances.
Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) plans to use the property as a school auditorium, according to reporting from Political Cortadito.
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