HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-22-0156City of Miami
Resolution R-22-0156
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 11637 Final Action Date: 4/28/2022
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S),
BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THs) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE PURSUANT TO SECTION
29-B(F) OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A GROUND LEASE FOR THE MIAMI FREEDOM PARK SOCCER
STADIUM IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ("STADIUM
LEASE") BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND MIAMI FREEDOM
PARK, LLC ("MFP") WHEREBY THE CITY SHALL LEASE APPROXIMATELY
TWELVE (12) ACRES OF CITY -OWNED PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS PARCEL
1 IN THE SURVEY ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT A
("STADIUM PROPERTY") WITHIN THE CITY -OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED
GENERALLY AT 1400 NW 37 AVE, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33125 ("PARENT
TRACT") TO MFP FOR, UNLESS SOONER TERMINATED, AN INITIAL TERM
OF THIRTY (30) YEARS WITH TWO (2) OPTIONS TO RENEW FOR A TOTAL
POSSIBLE MAXIMUM TERM OF NINETY-NINE (99) YEARS, WITH AN
ANNUAL RENT SCHEDULE OF NINETY-SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
DOLLARS ($97,500) FOR THE 1 sT YEAR, ONE HUNDRED -TWELVE
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($112,500) FOR THE 2ND YEAR, ONE
HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS
($127,500) FOR THE 3RD YEAR, AND ONE HUNDRED FORTY-TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($142,500) FOR THE 4TH YEAR FOR
THE PERIOD COMMENCING ON THE CONSTRUCTION RENT DATE AND
ENDING ON THE LEASE RENT COMMENCEMENT DATE (AS EACH TERM IS
DEFINED IN THE STADIUM LEASE), AND INCREASING TO SIX HUNDRED
FORTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($645,000) AS OF THE LEASE RENT
COMMENCEMENT DATE AND SUBJECT TO ANNUAL INCREASES
THEREAFTER, PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND LEASE OF AN
APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND (25,000) SEAT STATE-OF-
THE-ART PROFESSIONAL SOCCER STADIUM AND RELATED FACILITIES
FOR USE BY INTER MIAMI CF, LLC ("TEAM"), IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH
TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE
STADIUM LEASE; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A GROUND LEASE FOR THE MIAMI FREEDOM
PARK COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE
CITY ATTORNEY ("COMMERCIAL LEASE") BETWEEN THE CITY AND MFP
WHEREBY THE CITY SHALL LEASE APPROXIMATELY SIXTY-ONE (61)
ACRES OF CITY -OWNED PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS PARCEL 1 AND
PARCEL 2 IN THE SURVEY ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT B
("COMMERCIAL PROPERTY") WITHIN THE PARENT TRACT TO MFP FOR,
UNLESS SOONER TERMINATED, AN INITIAL TERM OF THIRTY-NINE (39)
YEARS WITH TWO (2) OPTIONS TO RENEW OF THIRTY (30) YEARS EACH,
FOR A TOTAL POSSIBLE MAXIMUM TERM OF NINETY-NINE (99) YEARS,
WITH AN ANNUAL RENT SCHEDULE OF FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($552,500) FOR THE 1 ST YEAR, SIX
City of Miami Page 1 of 6 File ID: 11637 (Revision: B) Printed On: 6/12/2025
File ID: 11637 Enactment Number: R-22-0156
HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS
($637,500) FOR THE 2ND YEAR, SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($722,500) FOR THE 3RD YEAR, AND
EIGHT HUNDRED SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($807,500)
FOR THE 4TH YEAR FOR THE PERIOD COMMENCING ON THE
CONSTRUCTION RENT DATE AND ENDING ON THE LEASE RENT
COMMENCEMENT DATE (AS EACH TERM IS DEFINED IN THE
COMMERCIAL LEASE) AND INCREASING TO THE GREATER OF THREE
MILLION SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($3,655,000) OR
SIX PERCENT (6%) OF GROSS REVENUES (AS DEFINED IN THE
COMMERCIAL LEASE) AS OF THE LEASE RENT COMMENCEMENT DATE
AND SUBJECT TO ANNUAL INCREASES THEREAFTER, PROVIDING FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MINIMUM OF ONE MILLION (1,000,000) SQUARE
FEET OF OFFICE, RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT USES AND SEVEN
HUNDRED FIFTY (750) HOTEL ROOMS AND CONFERENCE SPACE, WITH
TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE
COMMERCIAL LEASE; AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, THE
COMBINED ANNUAL RENT OF THE STADIUM LEASE AND THE
COMMERCIAL LEASE SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THREE MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED SEVENTY-SEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE
DOLLARS ($3,577,365); FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
AGREEMENT ("CAA"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY,
BETWEEN THE CITY, MFP, AND INTER MIAMI STADIUM, LLC, WHICH
SHALL GOVERN THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE
STADIUM PROPERTY, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, AND PUBLIC BENEFITS
UPON AND AROUND THE PARENT TRACT AND WHICH SHALL PROVIDE
FOR MFP TO DEVELOP A FIFTY-EIGHT (58) ACRE PUBLIC PARK,
PROVIDING FOR MFP TO CONTRIBUTE TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS
($20,000,000) TO BE UTILIZED BY THE CITY FOR THE ADJACENT PUBLIC
PARK AND FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ($5,000,000) TO BE UTILIZED BY THE
CITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BAYWALK AND RIVERWALK, FURTHER
PROVIDING FOR MFP TO ENVIRONMENTALLY REMEDIATE THE ENTIRE
PARENT TRACT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A NO FURTHER ACTION
DETERMINATION FROM ALL APPLICABLE AUTHORITIES, WITH TERMS
AND CONDITIONS AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE CAA;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A NON -RELOCATION AGREEMENT ("NON -RELOCATION
AGREEMENT"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY
BETWEEN THE CITY, MFP, AND TEAM, WHEREBY THE TEAM SHALL PLAY
AT THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SOCCER STADIUM FOR A MINIMUM OF
THIRTY (30) YEARS, WITH TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS MORE
PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE NON -RELOCATION AGREEMENT;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, ALL IN FORMS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, TO EFFECTUATE THE
AGREEMENTS STATED HEREIN.
SPONSOR(S): Mayor Francis X. Suarez
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") is the owner in fee simple of approximately one
hundred thirty-one (131) acres of real property generally located at 1400 Northwest 37th
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File ID: 11637 Enactment Number: R-22-0156
Avenue, Miami, Florida 33125, legally described in Exhibit C attached hereto and wholly or
partially included within folio numbers 01-3132-000-0080 and 01-3132-000-0090, and inclusive
of the property commonly known as the Melreese Country Club ("Parent Tract"); and
WHEREAS, Miami Freedom Park, LLC ("MFP") desires to design and develop
approximately seventy-three (73) acres of the Parent Tract ("Demised Property") for the
purposes of constructing a state-of-the-art professional soccer stadium, entertainment center
including food and beverage venues, offices, retail, hotel and conference center, and other
ancillary commercial development (collectively, the "Project"); and
WHEREAS, on July 18, 2018, the City Commission passed Resolution No. R-18-0308
and Resolution No. R-18-0309 ("Resolutions") approving a proposed amendment to the City
Charter to waive competitive bidding and enter into a lease of the Demised Property for the
Project; and
WHEREAS, on July 18, 2018, a Miami resident filed a Complaint for Mandamus against
the City of Miami styled Muir v. City of Miami et al., Case No. 18-23224 (11th Jud. Cir. July 18,
2018), challenging the Resolutions and seeking to force the City to comply with Section 29-A of
the City's Charter prior to submitting the proposed Charter amendment to the City's electorate,
which was denied with prejudice on August 15, 2018; and
WHEREAS, on October 23, 2018, another Miami resident filed a two -count "Emergency
Complaint for Declaratory Relief" against the City of Miami styled Bruce C. Matheson v. City of
Miami, Case No. 18-35876 (11th Jud. Cir. October 23, 2018) seeking a declaration that the
proposed Charter amendment and ballot item were invalid as violative of Section 101.161, Fla.
Stat., and Section 29-B of the City Charter; and
WHEREAS, on November 6, 2018, the Charter amendment was approved by a majority
of the voters in the referendum election, as acknowledged by Resolution No. R-18-0554; and
WHEREAS, on March 21, 2019, the trial court granted the City's Motion for Summary
Judgment in Bruce C. Matheson v. City of Miami, Case No. 18-35876 (11th Jud. Cir. October
23, 2018) and entered a final judgment in favor of the City and MFP; and
WHEREAS, the Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial Court's final judgment in
favor of the City and MFP, concluding (i) that the lawsuit "has not demonstrated that the ballot
summary is clearly and conclusively defective" under section 101.161, Fla. Stat. and (ii) that "the
ballot summary gave fair notice of its chief purpose and did not mislead the public;" and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 19-0214, adopted on May 23, 2019, the City
Commission authorized the City Attorney to engage the legal counsel of her choosing to assist
the City in negotiations and legal preparation of documents associated with the Project; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney chose Shutts and Bowen, LLP, Fowler White Burnett P.A.
and O'Melveny & Myers LLP (collectively the "Outside Counsel") due to their collective expertise
and extensive experience in transactions of this particular nature; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. R-19-0290, adopted on July 11,2019, the City
Commission authorized Outside Counsel, in consultation with the City, to engage professional
consultants, including property appraisers and a peer review firm, environmental consultants,
and traffic engineers, at no cost to the City, for the purposes of providing a fair market value
analysis of the Demised Property; and
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File ID: 11637 Enactment Number: R-22-0156
WHEREAS, the City and MFP have negotiated a ground lease for the Miami Freedom
Park soccer stadium ("Stadium Lease") for the lease of approximately twelve (12) acres of the
Demised Property, as identified as Parcel 1 in the survey attached and incorporated as Exhibit
A ("Stadium Property"); and
WHEREAS, the Stadium Lease provides for the operation of a state-of-the-art
professional soccer complex including an approximately twenty-five thousand (25,000) seat
stadium and related facilities; and
WHEREAS, the initial term of the Stadium Lease is thirty (30) years with a first option to
renew for thirty-nine (39) years and a second option to renew for thirty (30) years for a total term
not to exceed ninety-nine (99) years; and
WHEREAS, the City and MFP have further negotiated a ground lease for the Miami
Freedom Park commercial development ("Commercial Lease") for the lease of approximately
sixty-one (61) acres of the Demised Property, as identified as Parcel 1 and Parcel 2 in the
survey attached and incorporated as Exhibit B ("Commercial Property"); and
WHEREAS, the Commercial Lease provides for a minimum of one million (1,000,000)
square feet of commercial development consisting of office space, entertainment -related, and
retail uses, and at least seven hundred fifty (750) hotel rooms and conference space; and
WHEREAS, the initial term of the Commercial Lease is thirty-nine (39) years with two
options to renew of thirty (30) years each for a total term not to exceed ninety-nine (99) years;
and
WHEREAS, the minimum rent to be collected by the City from the Stadium Lease and
the Commercial Lease, collectively, following the construction period (i.e., the period starting on
the Construction Rent Date and ending on the Lease Rent Commencement Date), as further
described in each lease, was increased from three million five hundred seventy-seven thousand
three hundred sixty-five dollars ($3,577,365) per year, which was the minimum rent amount
required pursuant to the approved ballot question and Charter amendment, to no less than four
million three hundred thousand dollars ($4,300,000) per year, or such higher number as
necessary to reflect fair market value based on updated appraisals; and
WHEREAS, the City, MFP, and Inter Miami Stadium, LLC have also negotiated a
Construction Administration Agreement to govern the construction and development of the
facilities described in the Stadium Lease and Commercial Lease, as well as the various
improvements and public benefits to be undertaken within the Parent Tract and the
environmental remediation of the Parent Tract ("CAA"); and
WHEREAS, the CAA requires MFP to provide the City with a twenty million dollar
($20,000,000) contribution for the City's use toward improvements to public parks or acquisition
of public parks within the City, and further requires MFP to provide the City with a five million
dollar ($5,000,000) contribution for the City's use toward the improvement and expansion of the
Baywalk and Riverwalk; and
WHEREAS, the CAA further provides that MFP will, at no cost to the City, undertake the
remediation of the entire Parent Tract in order to achieve a "No Further Action" determination;
and
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File ID: 11637 Enactment Number: R-22-0156
WHEREAS, the CAA requires MFP to develop a new fifty-eight (58) acre public park
adjacent to the Demised Property; and
WHEREAS, the Stadium Lease, Commercial Lease and CAA each require MFP to
provide for a living wage for all on -site employees, as more particularly described in the Stadium
Lease, Commercial Lease and CAA; and
WHEREAS, the CAA also requires that MFP utilize good faith efforts to ensure that
twenty percent (20%) of the construction labor force is comprised of union employees; and
WHEREAS, the City, MFP, and Inter Miami CF, LLC ("Team") have negotiated a Non -
Relocation Agreement requiring the Team to play at the soccer stadium developed and
operated pursuant to the CAA and Stadium Lease for a minimum of thirty (30) years ("Non -
Relocation Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the City Commission has determined that the approval of the Stadium
Lease, Commercial Lease, CAA, Non -Relocation Agreement and related ancillary agreements
is in the City's best interest;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The City Manager is authorized' to negotiate and execute the Stadium Lease
between the City and MFP, in a form acceptable to the City Attorney, whereby the City shall
lease the Stadium Property to MFP for, unless sooner terminated, an initial term of thirty (30)
years with two (2) options to renew for a total term not to exceed ninety-nine (99) years, with an
annual rent schedule of ninety-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($97,500) for the 1st year,
one hundred twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($112,500) for the 2nd year, one hundred
twenty-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($127,500) for the 3rd year, and one hundred forty-
two thousand five hundred dollars ($142,500) for the 4th year during the period commencing on
the Construction Rent Date and ending on the Lease Rent Commencement Date (the
"Construction Period") and increasing to six hundred forty-five thousand dollars ($645,000) as of
the Lease Rent Commencement Date with annual increases thereafter and subject to the terms
and conditions set forth in the Stadium Lease; providing for the development of an
approximately twenty-five thousand (25,000) seat state-of-the-art professional soccer stadium
for use by the Team and related facilities, with terms and conditions as more particularly
described in the Stadium Lease.
Section 3. The City Manager is further authorized' to negotiate and execute the
Commercial Lease between the City and MFP, in a form acceptable to the City Attorney,
whereby the City shall lease the Commercial Property to MFP for, unless sooner terminated, an
initial term of thirty-nine (39) years with two (2) options to renew of thirty (30) years each, for a
total term not to exceed ninety-nine (99) years, with an annual rent schedule of five hundred
fifty-two thousand five hundred dollars ($552,500) for the 1st year, six hundred thirty-seven
thousand five hundred dollars ($637,500) for the 2nd year, seven hundred twenty-two thousand
1 The herein authorization is further subject to compliance with all legal requirements that may be
imposed, including, but not limited to, those prescribed by applicable City Charter and City Code
provisions.
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File ID: 11637 Enactment Number: R-22-0156
five hundred dollars ($722,500) for the 3rd year, and eight hundred seven thousand five hundred
dollars ($807,500) for the 4th year during the Construction Period and increasing to the greater
of three million six hundred fifty-five thousand dollars ($3,655,000) or six percent (6%) of Gross
Revenues (as defined in the Commercial Lease) as of the Lease Rent Commencement Date
with annual increases thereafter; providing for the development of a minimum of one million
(1,000,000) square feet of development for office, retail and entertainment uses and 750 hotel
rooms and conference space, with terms and conditions as more particularly described in the
Commercial Lease.
Section 4. The City Manager is further authorized' to negotiate and execute the CAA
between the City, MFP, and Inter Miami Stadium, LLC, in a form acceptable to the City Attorney,
which CAA shall govern the construction and development of the Stadium Property, Commercial
Property, and public benefits upon and around the Parent Tract, and which shall provide for
MFP to develop a fifty-eight (58) acre public park, providing for MFP to contribute twenty million
dollars ($20,000,000) to be utilized by the City for improvements to public parks or acquisition of
public parks within the City, and five million dollars ($5,000,000) to be utilized by the City for the
benefit of the Baywalk and Riverwalk, further providing for MFP to environmentally remediate
the entire Parent Tract in order to receive a no further action determination from all applicable
authorities, with terms and conditions as more particularly described in the CAA.
Section 5. The City Manager is further authorized' to negotiate and execute the Non -
Relocation Agreement between the City, MFP, and the Team, in a form acceptable to the City
Attorney, whereby the Team shall play at the newly constructed soccer stadium for a minimum
of thirty (30) years, with terms and conditions as more particularly described in the Non -
Relocation Agreement.
Section 6. The City Manager is further authorized' to negotiate and execute all other
documents, all in forms acceptable to the City Attorney, and take such other action, as may be
deemed necessary to effectuate, or as may be otherwise authorized under, the agreements
stated herein, subject to and in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
Section 7. Neither MFP, Team, nor Inter Miami Stadium, LLC shall have any rights to
the agreements contemplated herein unless and until the City Manager executes the subject
agreement(s), with approval by the City Attorney as to legal form and correctness.
Section 8. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and
signature of the Mayor.2
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
2 If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar days
from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective
immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission.
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