Miami Today: Week of Thursday, December 10, 2015

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WEEK OF THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

A Singular Voice in an Evolving City

WWW.MIAMITODAYNEWS.COM $4.00

IN THE NEWS

Riverside Wharf flows ahead for city and private sites, pg. 2 MIAMI IS CHINA-CURIOUS: The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Americas Linkage Committee is on the verge of its trade mission to China, which departs with about 20 Miami delegates Jan. 16 to Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shanghai. Committee Chairman Hernando Gomez urged delegates to “do your homework” during a morning meeting Dec. 3 at his firm, Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra. Come prepared to sell a service, product and Miami, he told participants. Offer more than just weather. Liane Ventura, chamber senior VP of industry growth and international business, warned that Miami is not yet China-savvy. The city and business community is “China-curious,” she said, but Chinese services, infrastructure and a better understanding of the Chinese business culture are still needed in Miami.

Key Biscayne pleas can’t sink international boat show, pg. 18

THE ACHIEVER

BY CATHERINE LACKNER

REALTORS REPORT TO CHINA: The Miami Association of Realtors will promote South Florida real estate in Shanghai this weekend to more than 5,000 real estate buyers and investors. The association will represent Miami at the LPS Shanghai 2015, an international luxury real estate expo Dec. 11-13. Chinese buyers represented 2% of all international closed sales in Miami-Dade and Broward counties last year, compared to 1% the two years prior. Furthermore, about 42% of Chinese consumers purchasing property in Florida brought in Miami or Miami Beach, the association reported. This year, the average purchase by Chinese buyers was $1.065 million, considerably higher than other international homebuyers. Nationally, Chinese buyers have surpassed Canadians as the most dominant foreign home purchasers. COUNTY LEASE TERMINATION: The county’s Strategic Planning & Government Operations Committee voted Tuesday to allow the county to include a provision in certain leases of its property that the site could be taken back in emergencies. The resolution by Rebeca Sosa states that unforeseen events during a lease of county-owned property may requires termination or suspension for a public purpose. She said her motivation is to avoid spending additional money for a situation such as a department needing to expand when the county’s leased property could serve the purpose. If passed by the full commission, the county would include a clause if applicable when leasing its property explaining that the lease could be terminated or suspended in an emergency. Daniella Levine Cava asked that Internal Services Department provide information on how such legislation might impact county rentals.

Photo by Marlene Quaroni

Neha Dagley

Miami attorney focuses on US trade links with India The profile is on Page 4

Surprise: Brazil grows international visitor lead BY CARLA V IANNA

Thanksgiving Miami air travel up 10%, pg. 10

Brazil retains its No. 1 spot among Miami’s international overnight visitors – a pleasant surprise for local business leaders who feared recession at home would deter many Brazilians from flying abroad. Colombia has been Miami’s fastest-growing South American market, with 5% visitor growth in the first nine months of the year, while Germany and England topped European markets for growth at 6% and 5% respectively, according to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. Losing its No. 6 total visitors ranking to England was Venezuela, whose numbers dropped a dramatic 10% this year. The Venezuelan situation is unique in that political instability and a battered economy have led to a dramatic cut in flights, said Rolando Aedo, bureau senior VP of marketing and tourism. In preparation for what was expected to be a tough year in the face of a stronger dollar, the bureau kick-started a rigorous marketing campaign in Europe and South America over the past year. Although international passenger traffic at Miami International Airport as of Oct. 31

was up 5% from last year, in November the aviation director said passenger numbers from all countries in the Western Hemisphere were slightly down. The decline was apparent but not drastic, said Emilio T. González. From the convention bureau’s perspective, its aggressive international marketing proved worthwhile: despite the sharp decline in Venezuelan travel, international visitors staying overnight in Miami from January to September totaled 5.66 million, up 4% from the same period last year. The top five markets for visitors – Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Argentina and Germany – are holding steady, with slight to moderate growth. The bureau places great emphasis on Brazil, which has historically been Miami’s most loyal market, displaying 8% to 15% annual growth in overnight visitors. But Brazil now faces a four-to-one currency ratio against the US dollar. Nonetheless, nine-month overnight Brazilian visitors rose 3% to 582,416. “Brazil is such a massive market,” Mr.

AGENDA

826-836 tie doused but nearly done

Aedo said. “While there is still growth in the number of people visiting, we have heard back from retail partners anecdotally, ‘[Brazilians] are pulling back on some of their discretionary spending, especially on the retail front.’” Last year 3% fewer Brazilians visited Miami than in 2013, which might have been a product of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Mr. Aedo said. To prevent a similar slowdown during the 2016 Olympics, which will be held August in Rio de Janeiro, the bureau will market Miami as a pre- or post-Olympic experience. Mr. Aedo said the idea is to promote a “two-nation vacation.” Miami’s tourism industry has been breaking records in multiple categories within the past year, with steep hikes in visitor numbers, industry jobs and economic activity. Among other peaking numbers are the most recent tax collections. October revenues streaming from the tourist development tax were up 18% while food and beverage tax collections from hotels were up 15% from the same period last year. Convention development tax collections rose 12%.

Weeks of incessant rain have delayed major completion of the exchange of state roads 826 (the Palmetto Expressway) and 836 (the Dolphin Expressway), but the project is still largely on track, says spokesman Oscar Gonzalez. If weather cooperates for the next two weekends, the final stretches – northbound 826 from Northwest 12th to 25th streets and southbound 826 from Northwest 25th Street to 836 – will be put into their permanent alignment. Finishing – barriers, landscaping, lighting and the final asphalt pour – is expected to be done by May 2016, given normal weather. Asphalt can’t be poured if it’s raining or too cold, Mr. Gonzalez explained. Conversion of the interchange, which Mr. Gonzalez has described as “a pivot point,” may well be Miami-Dade’s most impactful road project, serving 430,000 motorists daily. The interchange, estimated to cost $560 million, began in 2009 as a joint effort of the Florida Department of Transportation and the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority. The project has made it possible, for the first time, for drivers going north on 826 to directly connect to westbound 836 and then to the Florida Turnpike. Prior to the new ramp, they had to exit at Milam Dairy Road (Northwest 72nd Avenue) and take a roundabout route to enter 836 westbound. The massive project includes installation of Intelligent Transportation Systems cameras and sensors to allow real-time traffic updates as well to speed police and firefighters to accidents. They will also be used by Road Ranger tow trucks that move disabled vehicles from travel lanes. Most work is done nights and weekends. Drivers can visit www.826-836.com for updates and temporary road closures, and can sign up to be notified by email of re-routings and other changes.

COMMISSIONER SEES RED ON RED LIGHT CAMERA STUDY ... 3

STUDY TO WEIGH REVERSED RUSH-HOURS TRAFFIC FLOW ...

9

COUNTY RAISES QUESTIONS OVER WORK-AT-HOME PLAN ...

3

CORAL GABLES MAY ANNEX THREE NEIGHBORING AREAS ... 10

VIEWPOINT: TAXIS’ CREAKING AND CLANKING WELCOME ...

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WATER UPGRADE FOR BUSINESS A $580 MILLION PROJECT ... 12

BUS DEPOT AT COUNTY HALL A GREEN SPACE QUESTION ...

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COUNTY FLOATS PLAN FOR SEA LEVEL RISE PILOT EFFORT ... 18


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Miami Today: Week of Thursday, December 10, 2015 by Miami Today - Issuu