Miami Freedom Park deal looms as commissioners bargain for their votes

Everybody wants something.

While there may be a discussion Thursday, the Miami city commission vote on the Miami Freedom Park real estate giveaway is likely a ways off, as commissioners still have not had a chance yet to make their public asks (which are different from campaign contributions).

And this will be the first public meeting since a much ballyhooed mini-documentary starring former Marlins President David Samson and created by award-winning filmmaker and political roaster Billy Corben started making the rounds on social media — and the news.

Commissioner Manolo Reyes is the only one on the city dais who has said, repeatedly, that he is a solid no vote on the no-bid, 99-year lease agreement to build a hotel, retail shopping mall with restaurants, office complex, public park and a 25,000 seat soccer stadium for the InterMiami team where Melreese Golf Course is now on Le Jeune Road.

But the others could be swayed — for the right price or perks, so to speak.

Most of the commissioners have been very up front about what they want. Commissioner Ken Russell, who has been seen as the potential swing vote — maybe because he was the swing vote to put the non-binding referendum on the ballot — has said publicly that he’s not ready to move forward with the plan as is. In addition to having a boatload of issues — outside counsel has pointed out 28 points of contention — he hasn’t gotten a good plan on how the developers, InterMiami owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham, are going to replace the green space they pave over.

“Four years ago, I laid out exactly what would win my vote,” Russell told Ladra. “My whole laundry list is very clear.”

That includes at least $5 million for the development of his legacy Baywalk Greenway public space and seawall along Biscayne Bay, the complete remediation — paid for by the developers — of the contamination that is there now, no public subsidies, a commitment to at least a $15 minimum wage and no net loss in green space.

He told Ladra this week that he’s not there yet.

He is also concerned about the very favorable — for the developers — terms that are in the agreement and the 28 points that outside counsel made. “We definitely need another appraisal,” Russell said, referring to the 2018 appraisals the deal is based on now. “If it’s a bad deal, I won’t vote for it.”

In the last version we saw, the security deposit had been cut by more than half, from $8 million to $3.5 million, and a $12 construction escrow deposit — which also seems low — was eliminated completely. There is no penalty for late payment of rent, which, by the way, has a 4% cap on annual increase.

This is in Miami-Dade, where rents have increased about 60% in the past few years. Ladra fully expects the annual rental cap to be an issue with speakers from the public.

Commission Chairwoman Christine King just wants to know, as usual, how the deal is going to benefit her district. And Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla has told everyone that he will only vote for the deal if it is “good for the city I was born and raised in.”

But what does that mean? Ladra asked him in a text. Does that mean he wants better terms? More park space? Programming? Funding for pet projects?

“All of the above,” Diaz de la Portilla responded.

Commissioner Joe Carollo has been equally or more mysterious about his intentions. But he certainly has something up his sleeve. There’s no way Crazy Joe is going to let this golden opportunity slip by before he can squeeze every possible drop from it. This is the first time Carollo has had this kind of leverage over Mayor Francis Suarez — who is the deal’s biggest cheerleader — and he’s going to savor it.

Ladra also expects Carollo to take on the lead role in demanding better terms and higher percentages. He’s a closer.

Part of the reason we haven’t heard from Carollo is because the vote on the lease agreement — announced with much brouhaha by the mayor in January — has been rescheduled and delayed over and over again.

It may not happen this week either. While there was a special meeting scheduled for Thursday still late Tuesday night, there was no agenda available online. And there is a regular city commission meeting that day as well as a community redevelopment agency meeting. And agendas for both.

An argument could be made for moving the Miami Freedom Park deal discussion to another day so it stands alone. But, again, this is the first meeting since the two-minute video with Samson saying how Miami is going to get screwed by this deal. My words, not his. Ladra doubts the commission — especially Carollo — can let it go completely under the radar.

Even Florida Commissioner on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Nikki Fried, in Miami last week on her campaign tour for the governor’s seat, weighed in on the controversial proposal.

“Deals of this magnitude should always be executed in the sunshine. There should be an abundance of community engagement, a wealth of public input, and full stakeholder investment before one single shovel goes into the ground. If that takes years, then so be it,” Fried said in a statement.

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“I just finished a tour of the state — from Miami to Pensacola — focusing on our affordability crisis. I can assure you, I didn’t hear from anyone calling for a big stadium deal,” she said. “Floridians are looking for help with skyrocketing rents and a collapsing property insurance system. We should be focusing our resources on helping them.

“I hope the leaders in my home town of Miami do the right thing.”

If Mas gives in to every single demand they have on Thursday, he may get four votes. But that would be surprising. Russell, particularly, does not seem ready to give the nod. Perhaps he fears it will reflect badly on him in his bid for U.S. Senate.

More likely, commissioners will ask the city manager to come back with answers to their questions and requests — which gives them more time to get what they want for their votes.

Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes, Miami Freedom Park

Miami Freedom Park deal looms as commissioners bargain for their votes added by Ladra on April 27, 2022
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