Miami May Be on Tap to Host Formula 1 Races Starting Next Season
Miami could join the ranks of Grand Prix destinations Monaco and Baku on the Formula 1 calendar as soon as 2019.
Formula 1's commercial rights holder Liberty Media announced Wednesday that the City Commission of Miami will consider a proposal to host a Grand Prix in the city starting in October of 2019.
"Earlier today the City of Miami Commission took an important step by adding an item to its upcoming agenda, that if approved, will make way to bring Formula 1 to downtown Miami next season," said Sean Bratches, F1's managing director of commercial operations. "We appreciate the community’s interest in hosting a Formula 1 race and look forward to working with local officials and stakeholders to bring this vision to life. [...] Miami’s status as one of the world’s most iconic and glamourous cities, combined with its robust tourism infrastructure, makes Miami the perfect destination for Formula 1 and its fans."
Miami was first scouted by officials back in November as a candidate to host a second Formula 1 Grand Prix in the United States. Its chief competitors were thought to be Las Vegas and New York City, but the formal acknowledgment of dealings between Liberty Media and city officials places Miami on pole for hosting negotiations. Among the city's concerns was cost, but a private party came forward with Liberty Media to support its ambitions: Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins NFL team and its home stadium.
"Miami is a first-class global city and Formula 1 is a first-class global brand," stated Ross in the joint release with Bratches. "In cooperation with the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County, I am confident we can deliver yet another global event that will be a destination for people from around the world and drive economic value to South Florida. From football and soccer to tennis and motorsports, Miami deserves only the best in music, food, art, fashion, and sports and entertainment, and that is exactly what we plan on delivering with a Formula 1 race."
The matter will be brought before the City Commission on Thursday, May 10, where it will be sponsored by the city's Mayor Francis Suarez, among others. The agenda for the meeting reveals that the intended hosting contract will run for a decade, between 2019 and 2028. Tentative plans are to hold the first Miami Grand Prix in the window of October 2019, likely alongside Texas's United States Grand Prix's spot on the race calendar.
