Affecting the proposed $1 billion renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center is the pending outcome of a Miami Beach election that took place on Nov. 5.
Locals voted for a mayor and to fill two open seats in the Miami Beach Commission. Who Miami Beach voters put in these positions will determine how the renovation plan proceeds.
Candidates and other Miami Beach officials are publicly divided over the expense and size of the renovation plan, which calls for $600 million to be raised through taxpayers with the rest from an increase in hotel taxes, land leases and county taxes.
Commissioners already approved developer South Beach ACE building and paying for an 800-room convention center hotel adjacent to the convention center on 52 acres of land in exchange for leasing city land for 99 years.
Whether or not voters favored a referendum that required a supermajority vote of 60 percent to approve the renovation project will also impact the plan.
