Marine industry professionals would be able to spend Valentine’s Day with their lovers if some members of the Virginia Key Advisory Board get their way and move the Miami International Boat Show (MIBS) from February to September or October.
Since moving to the publicly-owned Virginia Key in 2016, MIBS has been the bane of island residents, complaining that the boat show shuts down or limits access to the park for more than three months, and now, supporters of the restoration of the historic Miami Marine Stadium, located on the key, express concerns that the millions of dollars required to rebuild may be wasted, with MIBS dominating the property during the peak tourist season.
The restored stadium will lose out on potentially big revenue, if the stadium is unable to host a variety of events and shows in January and February.
According to Miami Today, changing the show came up during a presentation by MIBS director Larry Berryman, detailing the economic impact of the show and seeking a long-term lease of the property.
Advisory Board member Esther Alonso-Luft suggested one solution would be moving the show to autumn.
“Having you here in the fall would bring a positive impact. I don’t know how this would work with your members’ schedules [but] I would love for you to consider the possibility of a date change, along with minimising the time you use to set up and break down [the show],” Alonso-Luft said.
For his part, the paper reports, Berryman is open to the idea, and says MIBS stands to benefit from the refurbished Marine Stadium as well.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has paid the city a US$1.3m annual license fee for use of the site, and an additional US$500,000 a year toward police and fire services. Berryman said the show is budget neutral, bringing in about the same US$17m it costs to produce MIBS.
“It is a major event that we continue to improve,” Berryman said. “We’re committed to South Florida and we’re committed to this site. We’re not here to make a quick buck and leave. We found a beautiful home, one that works for everybody.”
City officials want the association to reduce its footprint at the island property and shorten the time it holds control of the site.
Berryman said MIBS places Miami on the international stage, and attracts nearly 100,000 attendees from 63 countries and 17 Caribbean islands, as well as generating US$53m for Miami hotels and business, with an US$854m in economic impact annually for Florida. Of that, Miami-Dade businesses see US$49m in revenue and the show directly supports 5,700 full-time jobs.
October 02, 2019
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