On Tuesday, Miami-Dade commissioners will get a report from Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Mr. Giveaway” Gimenez on efforts to relocate the Dade County Youth
Fair to make room for Florida International University’s expansion.
In it, he identifies four potential relocation sites — really two, since two are old sites already rejected — as if progress has been made.
But don’t be fooled. Despite a Facebook campaign and heightened pressure from supporters, paid and unpaid, FIU’s dream of growing onto 63 county-owned acres now leased by the Fair is as far from reality as it was before the Nov. 4 vote that would only give the school the same non park use waiver that the non-profit has.
Read related story: FIU’s predictable ‘mandate’ argument — no fair to Fair
Because that is all the non-binding referendum did, ladies and gentlemen. It was not a “mandate” from the people for the Fair to vacate the premises for FIU’s benefit. That may be what the alumni association and lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez want everyone to believe, but the language was clear.
The language on the ballot passed by voters was to
let FIU use park land for something other than a park, should the Youth Fair ever decide to move. FIU keeps forgetting that it doesn’t say the Youth Fair should move. Wouldn’t that have been nice for them? Don’t let them confuse you.
So, even if it passed with 65% of the vote in the face of absolutely no opposition, it is not a “mandate.” Although I am certain that was the intention of the measure.
So that, for weeks, FIU boosters, paid and unpaid, could use that lame “mandate” excuse to ramp up the pressure. Recently, they started a Facebook campaign. Then they turned up the heat , mafia-like, with a sudden threat from the university to take away the use of two garages that have been used for years for overflow parking arrangements (this year, the Fair paid FIU $128,000 for parking and transportation costs).
Something about needing the space for night school. On Saturdays. And even on weekdays the garages are not filled to capacity. So it’s very obviously a faux excuse.
Read related story: Premature ballot item = pressure on Youth Fair/FIU land deal
Then there were complaints about alleged substandard living conditions for the carnies who work there for 21 days out of every year.
Youth Fair Executive Director Bob Hohenstein told Ladra that t
he accusations were bogus and that he took several county officials and commissioners on a tour of the grounds — including the trailer row where the carnies live — and showed them that there was all the necessary plumbing and electrical to comply with the conditions.
“And it’s all up to code,” he said. “We have to pass inspections all the time.”
“All this peripheral stuff is not moving the process forward. It’s soemthing being done to debase and degrade our organization and its value and impact in the community,” Hohenstein told Ladra. “And the value of the lease.”
It’s sort of intimidating. Not just to the Youth Fair organizers, a non-profit that makes $13 million a year, but also to the vendors, workers and people who attend. The message is clear: Our days are numbered. And Ladra can’t help but wonder if that had a chilling effect on the Fair’s gross earnings this year.
One might almost expect the Youth Fair grounds to suddenly suffer some kind of suspicious fire or something… FIU has been acting like such a thug about this.
Some observers think that, like any good mafia boss, FIU has the money and
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If FIU raised its admission standards like they were in the Mitch days there would be no need for expansion. FIU was making great strides in becoming a more prestigious university, then comes along this ding-dong and begins accepting anyone with a GED. Little wonder they need more space!
Is there no sense of shame in wasting $1.6 MILLION on a straw poll campaign? That’s a disgusting waste of education dollars trying to destroy a county fair.
If this unfair, unbalanced vote is to be considered, which will cost taxpayers millions, let’s give the Pets Trust the same “mandate” result from their Mayor Gimenez-guided straw poll.
F.I.U. won the election on this issue, but they have to act like a bully about it. Firstly, in spite of the results, there is a contract between The Fair and the county that will be broken. Secondly, F.I.U.’s expansion could also be at another location. They already have other campuses. Thirdly, the grounds are used much more than just for the Fair.
I have a feeling that if The Fair vendors charged a fairer price on their food, The Fair would have gotten more votes! As disconcerting as it can be, many people vote with their stomachs! I did vote against that philosophy, but I was upset when I went to The Fair in 2014, wanted to buy a turkey drumstick and was told it costs $20. Friends told me the drumsticks were half raw. Glad that my pocketbook overruled my stomach and taste buds!
Ladra, your posts are always insightful. In my view, this is all about the money – $$$$. FIU is pressuring to separate the Youth Fair Event from their year-round Exhibition Space in an effort to drive downt the cost of building new Exhibition Space for the Youth Fair at a new location. This is simply unworkable for the Youth Fair’s business model and will only drive up the cost of operations and hurt the viability of the Youth Fair as a going business concern over time. Under the lease, I don’ t believe anyone has the right to force that on the Youth Fair, especially FIU. If you simply look at the expense to move the Youth Fair, which will in the best case scenario for FIU conservatively be well above $150M, does it make sense as a matter of public policy for State taxpayers to pay that much to move the Youth Fair before FIU gets to build or expand 1 inch onto Tamiami Park? You can be assured the State Legislature is going to ask that question of FIU if and when the time comes. The cheaper and better answer is for FIU to go find a site somehwere else at a fraction of the time, effort and expense they are putting forth to move the Youth Fair and get on with expanding the Universtiy.
I agree, Sam. I think the expansion is a good idea, as does the majority of our community.
Ladra just doesn’t like the way it’s being done. Why muscle the Fair out with threats and complaints and this political pressure? Why not just FIND THEM A PLACE? If the bullies at FIU would dedicate their efforts to THAT, I bet we wouldn’t even be talking about this.
But, instead, they got the local government to side with them so they can act all mafialike and bully their way onto the property. That’s not right.
Love, Ladra
Elaine,
I think the Youth Fair is a wonderful experience for children and adults, including the disabled and handicapped (the Youth Fair does have special days to accommodate the special need population). Our community needs the Youth Fair. Actually, I believe that the Fair should be open almost year round.
I also believe that FIU has a mission far higher, greater and above almost all organizations in Miami (including the Miami Dade County Commission). The value of the education provided to local residents of the largest community in Florida is immeasurable. Locals get to have access to a public university education without getting into a ridiculous $100,000 debt when they graduate with a BA from University of Miami (and I love the Canes too).
What a hell of a benefit FIU has been. Not only would I give them all of Tamiami Park if I were on the Commission, I would do everything I could to promote them. Other locations can be found for accommodating the Fair that would increase their value too.It can be a win win situation for all.