Brutalist landmark has sat fenced off since 1992 Hurricane Andrew
The Miami Marine Stadium opened in 1963 as the nation’s only race venue for powerboats and is considered a masterpiece of midcentury Brutalist architecture, with a massive cantilevered roof and a view of the city. Designed by a Cuban refugee, the venue became a major symbol of South Florida.
The stadium served as the backdrop for Elvis Presley’s 1967 film “Clambake” and later hosted President Richard Nixon and Sammy Davis Jr. together at a 1972 campaign rally supporting Nixon’s reelection bid. Gloria Estefan and the late Jimmy Buffett performed on a movable, floating stage. Residents also gathered at the venue for Easter sunrise services and to celebrate Our Lady of Charity, a representation of the Virgin Mary honored by many Cubans and Cuban Americans.
The 6,500-seat stadium closed in 1992 after sustaining serious damage during Hurricane Andrew and has since fallen into disarray. It remains fenced off and covered in graffiti despite its listing on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
On Tuesday, voters will decide whether to allow the city to partner with a private company to return the venue to its former glory.
“It encapsulated a time period in Miami that’s incredibly unique with an incredible story that touches all Miamians,” Miami Commissioner Damian Pardo said. “So this is really a place that connects with Miami at a very deep and personal level.”