The Miami Marine Stadium has seen better days, much better days.
In a bid to finally end the long string of failed restoration plans, Heineken, yes Heineken, has proposed a crowdfunding campaign to revamp the once world famous stadium. According to the director of community outreach for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Jason Lloyd Clement, the campaign will launch on Indiegogo next month.
“Whoever loves the stadium will be able to give $5 to bring it back to life,” Clement says. “For so long, people have been like, ‘We need to find huge gifts from major donors,’ so this is different in that it’s allowing residents directly to bring it back to life, and that’s something that doesn’t happen with a lot of restoration projects.” (Miami New Times)
Heineken is starting the funding off with a $20,000 donation towards the project and after it is officially approved, the hope is to raise at least $100,000 which will cover the cost of the removal of the dismal seats from the stadium. Although full funding for this project would be a definite step in the right direction, funding to restore the entire stadium is estimated to cost anywhere from $37 million to $40 million and still needs to be addressed.
Don Worth, cofounder of the group Friends of Miami Marine Stadium says, “We’ve always wondered why some corporation hadn’t realized the marketing potential of this place. Heineken did,” he says. “I’d like to think they are going to show the way for some other corporation or philanthropist to realize the incredible naming potential of this place. Once we get a business plan in place, that opens us up to larger forms of financing.” (Miami New Times)
With hopes high and anticipation for the crowdfunding campaign to get underway shortly, things are looking up for the once storied stadium.
(Original article and images taken from www.miaminewtimes.com)
