Miami Marine Stadium, USA

World Monuments Fund recently helped fund an engineering study to determine the cost of restoring Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay.

Designed by Hilario Candela, this 1960s concrete Modernist icon is a sentimental favorite for many in the Miami community—much more than simply a venue for powerboat and waterski races. It was a popular spot for concerts—a floating stage hosted acts such as Jimmy Buffet and the Boston Pops—and was used as a filming location for part of Elvis Presley's film Clambake in 1967. The stadium is also famous as the spot where Sammy Davis, Jr., hugged Richard Nixon in 1972.

Hurricane Andrew Shutters Stadium

The stadium was closed following Hurricane Andrew in August 1992, and has been vacant since. Recent plans by the city government for the revitalization of Virginia Key originally called for its demolition, but we believe that the damage caused by the storm is repairable.

Advocacy Efforts Overturn Demolition Plans

Thanks to strong advocacy efforts and public outcry, the city's plans were subsequently revised and the stadium was designated a local landmark in October 2008. WMF, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Friends of Miami Marine Stadium, and other local preservation groups hope that the engineering study will prove to city officials that the stadium can be easily and cost-effectively repurposed.