During its heyday, powerboat races, Easter sunrise services, and concerts under the stars all drew thousands to Miami Marine Stadium. Hundreds of boats would surround the floating stage to enjoy the festivities. The experience was authentic Miami—there was nothing else like it, anywhere.

The 6,566-seat stadium was designed by 27-year-old, Cuban-born architect Hilario Candela. When it was poured in 1963, its 326-foot, fold-plate roof was the longest span of cantilevered concrete on earth. It is a masterwork of civic architecture and modern construction.

Threat

The stadium has been shut off from the Miami entertainment scene for more than three decades. Its abandonment has led to significant deterioration, environmental damage, and extensive graffiti.

Our Response

The National Trust joined forces with Friends of Miami Marine Stadium in 2008 to save and restore this iconic structure. In 2009, the National Trust funded an engineering study of the stadium and included it on its list of American's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Since that time, the National Trust has supported public awareness, planning, and advocacy efforts aimed at returning the Stadium to public use, while the City of Miami has continued to advance the restoration process through a series of studies, agreements, and public actions.

In addition to our efforts to revive the stadium, the National Trust has used social media, national media, and special events to draw the community back to the structure. Most people only experience the overgrown, fenced-off site from a distance. Our events allow Miamians to experience the stadium from different perspectives, building public will to put the building back into good use.

Current Status

In early 2026, the Miami City Commission voted unanimously to select Oak View Group to operate the Stadium once it is restored, and on August 18, 2026, a referendum put that decision before Miami voters, who approved it by a large margin.

There is still work ahead. Oak View Group will now develop a final plan for the construction, operation, and management of the Stadium, which will return to the Miami City Commission for approval. That will take time, but the strong public support shown in the referendum gives the project real momentum. The National Trust celebrates this big step in a long effort to save and restore this one-of-a-kind Miami landmark.