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the government connections to get what it wants. Those people think the county is working on behalf of the university to amp up that pressure. Otherwise, why even get involved, they ask.
Why is the county spending countless hours on what should be an agreement, that costs the county nothing, between the non-profit and the university? Are county staffers doing the work that FIU would have to otherwise do itself?
There have been several meetings — at least four or five — between FIU representatives and Fair representatives and the mayor or his staff. 
Gimenez Senior Advisor Michael Spring is in charge of the negotiations. Some people think the county is working on behalf of the university — or else they wouldn’t be involved to begin with.
But Miami-Dade Communications Director Michael Hernandez said that the county, which can provide land, has a role to play and is just doing due diligence.
“The Gimenez Administration is acting as mediators and not favoring one side over the other,” Hernandez told Ladra Monday night. “The county is caught between a rock ad a hard place. The voters approved the ballot item, but we must respect the terms of the Fair’s lease.”
He said the status report Tuesday was called for when the county entered into a memorandum of agreement with the university about the expansion back in October — pressuring even before the Nov. 4 vote.
But why are two of the four locations listed — the former Homestead Air Force Base 
and Sun Life Stadium — are sites that the Youth Fair executive board has already unanimously rejected. Hernandez said that maybe the situation had changed since a few months ago.
“I’m really confused as to why they brought back those two sites,” Hohenstein told Ladra.
It’s called pressure, Bob.
He says he feels it every day. “The pressure is subtle,” Hohenstein said. “Some days it’s very impacting. Other days it is under the radar.
“What they call their mandate we now are about to confirm is what everybody thought it was, another lever they could pull to convince everybody to get us out,” Hohenstein told me.
Read related story: From the ‘Duh’ department — LBA backs FIU expansion plan
“The campaign continued. Everybody voted Nov. 4 but the campaign hasn’t stopped,” he said.
Why didn’t they counter the campaign, which faced zero opposition? 
Money, Hohenstein said. FIU has the funds to throw at this and spent $1.6 million to urge a yes vote. Hohenstein is convinced that they would have spent $3 million if he had funded a “vote no” push.
“It’s not in our organization’s DNA,” he said. “W’re a private, non-profit organization that gets people to donate and to turn around and use that money for a political campaign, an election campaign, we just can’t do it.
“We didn’t have a $40 million foundation of tax deductible contributions to tap into. We’re not a multi-billion university. I also can’t help but wonder if the Fair doesn’t have a legal case against FIU, which, according to a Miami Herald story, makes about 33 times the revenue a year and is apparently ready to spend some of that money on continuing its campaign for expansion (read: land grab). Jorge Luis Lopez does not come cheap. And
Fair organizers have hired lobbyist Brian May for their defense, at $12,500 a month. Which may be too little, too late.
To be a good neighbor, the Fair is willing to study the other two sites. One is 138 acres just west of Dolphin Mall owned entirely or mostly by the Florida Department of Transportation, at the Turnpike and State Road 836 (and a stone’s throw from the proposed mega mall?). The other site is just west of that near 137th Avenue, which is owned by private entities who might not even be looking to sell.
But has there been
any progress made?
“I don’t believe so, no,” Hohenstein said.
The sites on the table, for example, would force the Youth Fair to split its operations, holding the exposition events at the Tamiami Park fair grounds and the fair itself elsewhere.
But he has to see if that makes sense an operational, financial and legal standpoints. And hints it probably doesn’t.
“I’m not interested in something that triples our operating expenses,” Hohenstein said.
While he is willing to listen to any presentation, he will not move while his financial consultant tells him that it’s a losing situation.
And he seems pretty cool under the pressure.
After all, he has a rock solid lease through 2085. That is another 70 years and Gimenez and Lopez and Hohenstein and all of us will be long gone by then — but the Fair might still be standing.
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FIU pumps up the pressure in fight over Youth Fair grounds added by Ladra on
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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.