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In this week’s Miami New Times,
take a peek at the brewing battle over the The Genting Group’s grandiose plan to
redevelop the Miami Herald‘s storied waterfront home into a
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gigantic casino resort, Leading the criticism is former Miami Mayor Joe Carollo, who
warns the Malaysian gambling conglomerate is trying to take city and
county owned land without paying for it.
“If they paid $236 million for the
Herald land and $205 million for the Omni Center, it’s only fair they
pay the same amount per square foot for public land,” Carollo
notes.
A Genting executive disputed Carollo’s claim, noting the company only plans to reconfigure some roads and public transportation facilities. Resorts World Miami Senior Vice-President Christian Goode explains Genting “is prepared to provide capital required to realign the Metromover path” and also “provide capital for improving the Omni Metromover station.” He added: “No public land is included in the project’s master plan.”
But renderings of the $3 billion planned resort show the company will be doing more than realigning Metromover and improving the Omni station.
The area we’ve circled in the above graphic is the existing site of the station and a Metrobus depot; land that is owned by the county. The image clearly shows both transit structures would no longer be there so “providing capital” is not going to be enough.
Genting better come up with the big bucks to pay the county for prime property located between North Bayshore Drive and Biscayne Boulevard. As Carollo insists, it’s only fair.
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