Miami Marine Stadium Essay

The Miami Marine Stadium (MMS) is a historical landmark home to Virginia Key, Miami, Florida. Built in 1963 and designed by Cuban-born architect, Hilario Candela, who was only 28 years old at the time. The Stadium is considered a Modernist icon due to its characteristic reinforced concrete structure. Named after the famous 1900’s yacht designer Ralph Munroe, the stadium can accommodate 6,566 spectators. Due to its photographic panoramic view and its location next to the water and across Downtown Miami, the stadium was host for many different world class powerboat events, hydroplane regattas, and major aquatic-stage concerts for artists such as Jimmy Buffet. Tragically, after Hurricane Andrew, in September 1992, the Miami Marine Stadium had to be shut down since it was deemed unsafe for the public. After being abandoned, the MMS became a graffiti
Soon after, through social media and crowd funding platforms such as Indiegogo, the public was struck with a wave of melancholy and efforts to restore the Stadium were made. A charity group known as Friends of Miami Marine Stadium (FMMS) was created with the purpose of restoring and bringing it back to operation. The FMMS was able to create a revitalization proposal which was later on approved by the City of Miami. The stadium will be restored and it will return to its past glory. A team headed by R.J Heisenbottle Architects in collaboration with the original architect, Hilario Candela, will revitalize the MMS. It will include a museum to celebrate the Marine Stadium’s history and a welcome center to greet its public. Moreover, it will be host of the Miami Boat Show, a world-renowned boating event, different concerts, art events, festivals, and more. The Miami Marine Stadium will continue to be iconic and will become a visual representation of the ever-growing city of