HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-25-0502City of Miami
Resolution R-25-0502
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 18496 Final Action Date: 11/20/2025
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENTS,
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE
AMENDMENTS TO THE GROUND LEASE FOR MIAMI FREEDOM PARK
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ("COMMERCIAL LEASE"), THE GROUND LEASE
FOR SOCCER STADIUM DEVELOPMENT ("SOCCER LEASE"), AND THE
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT ("CAA") BETWEEN THE CITY OF
MIAMI ("CITY") AND MIAMI FREEDOM PARK, LLC ("MFP"), IN FORMS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, TO: (I) INCREASE THE INITIAL TERM OF
THE COMMERCIAL LEASE AND SOCCER LEASE TO FIFTY-FIVE (55) YEARS AND
REDUCE THE RENEWAL OPTIONS TO TWENTY-TWO (22) YEARS EACH, (II)
ACCOMMODATE THE CITY'S FUTURE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
("ADMINISTRATION BUILDING") AND THE FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT
SUBSTATION ("FPL SUBSTATION") BY AMENDING THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF
THE PUBLIC PARK PARCEL AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED
EXHIBIT A, REMOVING THE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND REMEDIATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCH SPACES, AND EXTENDING THE PARK COMPLETION
DEADLINE FOR THE FPL SUBSTATION STAGING AREA TO OCCUR AFTER
ISSUANCE OF A TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE
STADIUM, WHICH REVISIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CITY COMMISSION APPROVAL
OF A CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE CITY AND MFP, (III) AUTHORIZE THE RELOCATION OF SPORTS
FIELDS FROM ATOP THE STRUCTURED PARKING FACILITY, (IV) RESTRICT THE
TWENTY MILLION DOLLAR ($20,000,000.00) PARK CONTRIBUTION TO BE
EXCLUSIVELY USED FOR THE PUBLIC PARK, AND (V) AMEND THE PARK
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE
CITY ATTORNEY, TO AUTHORIZE THE INSTALLATION, OPERATION, AND
MAINTENANCE OF CERTAIN ENTRYWAY, DIRECTIONAL, MONUMENT, OR
PYLON SIGNAGE WITHIN THE PUBLIC PARK PARCEL GENERALLY IN THE
LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED EXHIBIT B;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE
AMENDMENTS, IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, TO THE
CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS GRANTED TO MFP TO REMOVE PORTIONS OF
THE PUBLIC PARK UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND FPL
SUBSTATION FROM THE EASEMENT AREA; FURTHER PROVIDING ANY FUTURE
AMENDMENT THAT AUTHORIZES CHANGES TO THE PARK DESIGN OR
EXTENDS THE DEADLINES FOR COMPLETION OF THE PARK BEYOND THOSE
SET FORTH HEREIN SHALL COME BEFORE CITY COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL
AND INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT TO COMPLETE CERTAIN MINIMUM
IMPROVEMENTS NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 2026, SUBJECT ONLY TO
EXTENSIONS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH PERMITTING
City of Miami Page 1 of 5 File ID: 18496 (Revision: A) Printed On: 12/9/2025
File ID: 18496 Enactment Number: R-25-0502
REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY DIVISION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT; FURTHER PROVIDING THAT
THE AUTHORITY GRANTED HEREIN SHALL BE SUBJECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH
ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY CODE, AS AMENDED, AND ALL
OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") is the fee simple owner of approximately one
hundred thirty-one (131) acres of land located adjacent to the City's Grapeland Park, and
generally bound on the East by Northwest 37 Avenue, on the West by Northwest 42 Avenue, on
the South by Northwest 14 Street, and on the North by the municipal boundary ("Site"); and
WHEREAS, in November of 2018, the electorate of the City approved a referendum to
waive competitive bidding and authorize the negotiation of a ground lease and development
agreement for the development of approximately seventy-three (73) acres of the Site as a
soccer stadium and other ancillary commercial development ("Leased Premises") and requiring
MFP to provide various other public benefits, including the remediation and development of a
fifty-eight (58) acre public park ("Park"); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. R-22-0156, adopted April 28, 2022, Miami
Freedom Park, LLC. a Delaware Limited Liability Company ("MFP") entered into that certain
Ground Lease for Soccer Stadium ("Soccer Lease") and that certain Ground Lease for Miami
Freedom Park Commercial Development ("Commercial Lease"), dated as of February 9, 2023,
governing the Developer's use of the Leased Property (collectively, "Lease Agreements"); and
WHEREAS, the City and MFP also entered into a Construction Administration
Agreement ("CAA"), dated as of February 9, 2023, to govern the development of the Site and
the provision of certain public benefits, including the delivery of the Park; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. R-22-0157, adopted April 28, 2022, the City
authorized certain construction easements over the Park ("Construction Easements") in favor of
MFP; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ordinance No. 14093, adopted on September 13, 2022, by the
City Commission, the City and MFP also entered into a Development Agreement regarding the
Miami Freedom Park Special Area Plan ("Development Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. R-23-0547, adopted December 14, 2023, the
City authorized the City Manager to enter into an Amended and Restated Development
Management and Construction Agreement for the construction of the City's Municipal
Administration Building ("MAB") within a portion of the Park and the easement areas; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. R-25-0060, adopted February 27, 2025, the City
authorized certain easements in favor of the Florida Power & Light Company, to construct,
access, and maintain an electric utility substation ("FPL Substation") on a portion of the Park
and the easement areas; and
WHEREAS, the City also granted FPL an access agreement to authorize staging within
the Park immediately adjacent to the FPL Substation easement area ("FPL Staging Area"); and
City of Miami Page 2 of 5 File ID: 18496 (Revision: A) Printed on: 12/9/2025
File ID: 18496 Enactment Number: R-25-0502
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. R-25-0039, adopted February 13, 2025, the City
supported the creation of the Lejeune Gardens Community Development District pursuant to
Chapter 190, Florida Statutes (the "CDD") and authorized MFP to file a petition with Miami -Dade
County to form such CDD; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 190, Florida Statutes, a petition to form a CDD must be
filed by a "landowner" and the definition of "landowner" in Section 190.003(14), Florida Statutes,
specifically excludes "any governmental entity," but does include "the owner of a ground lease
from a governmental entity, which leasehold interest has a remaining term, excluding all
renewal options, in excess of 50 years"; and
WHEREAS, the City and MFP desire to amend the initial term of the Lease Agreement
to reflect an initial term of fifty-five (55) years, which will permit MFP to qualify as a "landowner"
pursuant to Chapter 190, Florida Statutes and file the petition to form the CDD with Miami -Dade
County: and
WHEREAS, in order to accommodate the MAB and FPL substation, the City and MFP
have agreed to modify the Lease Agreements, CAA, and Construction Easements to permit the
construction of the MAB and the FPL substation, including removing MFP's obligation to
develop and remediate the park within such spaces and extending the deadline to complete the
improvements to the FPL Staging Area to occur after issuance of a Temporary Certificate of
Occupancy for the stadium ; and
WHEREAS, as stipulated in the Section 3.5(A) of the CAA and Section 14(i) of the
Development Agreement, MFP is to make two (2) Ten Million and 00/100 Dollars
($10,000,000.00) payments for a total of Twenty Million and 00/100 Dollars ($20,000,000.00) to
be used for improvements to public parks or acquisition of public parks within the City of Miami
("Park Fund Contribution"); and
WHEREAS, MFP has made the first payment of Ten Million and 00/100 Dollars
($10,000,000.00) to the City ("MFP Payment 1"), and the second payment of Ten Million and
00/100 Dollars ($10,000,000.00) will be made in the near future ("MFP Payment 2"); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. R-25-0040, adopted February 13, 2025, the City
determined that the Park Fund Contribution be deposited in a special revenue account restricted
for investment into the Park; and
WHEREAS, the parties wish to revise the Lease Agreements to reflect the City's intent
to restrict the Park Fund Contribution as memorialized in Resolution No. R-25-0040; and
WHEREAS, the parties wish to make further amendments to the Lease Agreements and
CAA, including revisions to the location of the sports fields within the Leased Premises and
revisions to the Park Project Requirements; and
WHEREAS, certain amendments to the Lease Agreements and CAA affect provisions
that are also contained in the Development Agreement, and therefore corresponding revisions
to the Development Agreement are required in order for such amendments to become effective;
and
WHEREAS, Section 9.5 of the Commercial Lease grants MFP the exclusive right to
construct operate and display signage within the Park where designated by the City; and
City of Miami Page 3 of 5 File ID: 18496 (Revision: A) Printed on: 12/9/2025
File ID: 18496 Enactment Number: R-25-0502
WHEREAS, the City wishes to authorize certain entryway, directional, monument, or
pylon signage within the Demised Premises and the Park generally in the locations identified in
the attached and incorporated Exhibit B; and
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 amendments to the
Lease Agreements and the CAA, in forms acceptable to the City Attorney, to (i) increase the
initial term of the Lease Agreements to fifty-five (55) years and reduce the renewal options to
twenty-two (22) years each, (ii) accommodate the Administration Building and the FPL
Substation by amending the legal description of the Park as shown in the attached and
incorporated Exhibit A, removing the park development and remediation requirements for such
spaces, and extending the park completion deadline for the FPL Staging Area to occur after
issuance of a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for the stadium, which revisions are subject
to City Commission approval of a conforming amendment to the Development Agreement, (iii)
authorize the relocation of sports fields from atop the structured parking facility, (iv) restrict the
Park Fund Contribution to be exclusively used for the Park, and (v) amend the Park project
requirements.
Section 3. The City Manager is further authorized' to negotiate and execute an
agreement, in a form acceptable to the City Attorney, to authorize the installation, operation, and
maintenance of certain entryway, directional, monument, or pylon signage within the Park
generally in the locations identified in the attached and incorporated Exhibit B.
Section 4. The City Manager is further authorized' to negotiate and execute
amendments, in forms acceptable to the City Attorney, to the Construction Easements granted
to MFP to remove portions of the Park under the Administration Building and FPL Substation
from the easement area.
Section 5. Any future amendment that authorizes changes to the Park design or extends
the deadlines for completion of the Park beyond those set forth herein shall come before City
Commission for approval and include a requirement to complete certain minimum improvements
no later than September 2026, subject only to extensions that may be required to comply with
permitting requirements set forth by the Miami -Dade County Division of Environmental
Resources Management.
Section 6. The amendments and agreements authorized herein shall be subject to
compliance with all applicable provisions of the City Code, as amended, and all other applicable
laws, rules, and regulations.
Section 7. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and
signature of the Mayor.2
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.
2 This Resolution shall become effective as specified herein unless vetoed by the Mayor within ten days of
the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Ordinance, it shall become effective
City of Miami Page 4 of 5 File ID: 18496 (Revision: A) Printed on: 12/9/2025
File ID: 18496 Enactment Number: R-25-0502
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
ge Wy ng III, C y ttor -y 12/5/2025
immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission or upon the effective date stated herein,
whichever is later.
City of Miami Page 5 of 5 File ID: 18496 (Revision: A) Printed on: 12/9/2025