2010-1118 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes: Regular City Commission Meeting November 18,2010 City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida the animals. Mayor Edelcup noted that the City received a protest letter from Kelly Conner who had indicated that the Miami Seaquarium will be part of this project, and he asked Mr. Schulman if that was still the status, and Mr. Schulman said no, it is not. Former Commissioner Danny Iglesias said this project is a tremendous asset to this City. He suggested that the developer work with FDOT to start the signage before crossing over the bridge to ensure traffic is queued over eliminating a lot of the weaving areas, and with five lanes, traffic will not be a problem. He will work with the City to get permits from FDOT. After discussion, the majority of the Commission was in favor. Commissioner Scholl said that he has been critical of this project from the beginning because of lack of detail/specificity, he does not understand the economic sense of this facility although it is a beautiful facility, and doesn't believe we have the infrastructure for it. Mayor Edelcup said he is in favor of it because of all the benefits that the City will receive and clarified that the aquarium is only a portion of that property. Many people in the City have come to the Commission over the years and asked for a Cultural and Entertainment Center which the people expected the City to fund through taxpayer money, and this opportunity came to us where we did not have to use taxpayer money to have a cultural center that has an on-going operating and maintenance cost that someone else has volunteered to make available to the City without us having to make that initial investment in that infrastructure building or the ongoing maintenance cost of it. At the same time pay taxes to the County and to the City and pay rent to the City for the land that they are leasing. The $22 Million number is a gross number which is closer to $15 or $17 Million when the retail space is sold. For that we are getting a Park and a Parking Garage, and even though it is a coordinated project in which everything flows together, there are two distinct ownership pieces, one is a Park for the City of 2.5 acres, and the second piece that the City owns is a 300+ garage which will generate revenue. The million tourists that come to our City every year have never had an opportunity to spend money in our City, and we are giving them that opportunity which gives our retail segment of this City a better and firmer footing to grow and establish a more upscale shopping center, and we get the benefit of that which may create a better environment for other retail stores that we would like to see in our City. The investment the City is making is strictly for a Park and a Parking Garage, and the investment of the Milton Family is for this retail complex which includes an aquarium, and they will fund that operation totally. It is a wonderful education facility, a wonderful opportunity for adults with the banquet halls, meeting places, cultural arts programs, and the Park of itself is a beautiful facility that will give ocean vistas to an area that never was able to see the ocean before. This Park will be set well above the standards of any Park anywhere else in the country. We have to move forward and seize opportunities when they are presented to us. Commissioner Brezin moved and Vice Mayor Thaler seconded a motion to approve this resolution. Resolution No. 2010-1632 was adopted by a voice vote of 4-1 [Commissioner Scholl against] in favor. [City Clerk's Note: The Commission took afive-minute break.] 7