Recent revisions to the Miami Freedom Park lease now ensure the developers’ $20 million in funding is dedicated solely to the public park and set a nine-month timeline for delivering its core features, as the park’s opening lags behind the stadium’s.
On Nov. 20, Miami city commissioners approved amendments to the Freedom Park lease, ensuring the developers’ $20 million contribution will go exclusively to the 58-acre public park approved by voters as part of the stadium deal, and setting a timeline for its opening. The approval followed a discussion led by Commissioner Miguel Gabela, who raised concerns about delays in completing the park alongside the stadium, which is expected to open early next year.
Mr. Gabela stressed that while he trusted the developers of Miami Freedom Park to deliver on their commitments, residents shouldn’t be left to face a construction site devoid of greenery. He said the city administration had initially requested up to a year to complete the park, which he considered too long.
“If we do this and people see a construction site between the stadium and the parking lot and no greenery, there’s going to be an uproar,” he said. Mr. Gabela proposed a six- to nine-month window for providing the park’s core amenities, including grass, utilities, trails, and small and large pet areas, while leaving enhancements like extra pickleball courts or additional bathrooms for later.
City Manager Art Noriega explained the delay. The city sought to expand the park’s scope to provide better long-term value but needed to avoid redundant work, which could have required removing and redoing some installations, he said. He said the city was still settling logistics and budgeting to balance essential park features with proposed enhancements.
Iris Escarrá, a land use attorney representing the developer, added that the $20 million park fund would be used more efficiently by delaying some improvements, and said that permitting through the Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM) adds complexity, particularly given the site’s prior contamination. She assured the commission that an active DERM permit is already in place and that any necessary revisions to enhance park features would save several months of processing.
After discussion, the commission agreed to amend the lease to reflect a nine-month completion timeline for the basic park elements following the stadium’s opening, with flexibility built in to address potential DERM-related delays. Staff confirmed that the baseline park, utilities, greenery, and trails would be ready within this period, with further enhancements coming afterward.
The amendments reinforce that the developers’ $20 million contribution will be used exclusively for the public park. According to city documents, the first $10 million payment has already been made, and the second is expected soon, to be deposited into a special revenue account restricted for park improvements.
The amendments also extend the initial lease term to 55 years while reducing renewal options, allow the city’s municipal administration building and an FPL substation to be built within the park, relocate sports fields from atop the stadium parking structure, authorize specific park signage, and update construction easements to accommodate these adjustments.
Miami Freedom Park, scheduled to open in April 2026, was first approved by city voters in 2018 as a 73-acre soccer stadium and commercial development, including a 58-acre public park.
The site, adjacent to Grapeland Park, will also host the city’s new administration building and an FPL substation.
The post Miami extends Freedom Park lease appeared first on Miami Today.
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