Two-faced Mayor Francis Suarez wants to kick kids off Melreese for developers

Two-faced Mayor Francis Suarez wants to kick kids off Melreese for developers
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Looks like Miami Mayor Francis Suarez talks out of both sides of his mouth.

Last summer, after he made a backroom deal with David Beckham and Jorge Mas to turn Melreese Golf Course into a $1 billion real estate/retail/office complex with a hotel and, oh yeah, a 25,000-seat soccer stadium, Suarez and his new business partners made certain promises to protect the First Tee program, a not-for-profit that provides golf lessons and mentoring to kids who might never otherwise play the game.

Suarez even lauded the program as honorary chairman of the group’s young ambassador’s board and said “The First Tee of Miami is an organization that has a great impact on our community by providing character education to the youth of South Florida. I congratulate all of the future young ambassadors on your desire to make a difference in your community. The future of the First Tee of Miami looks bright because of you.”

But now he wants to erase that future and asks the city commission on Thursday to direct the city manager, city attorney and independent auditor to take “any and all actions necessary regarding any improper occupancy or any use of city of Miami owned premises by unauthorized business entities including but not limited to the Melresse Golf Course.”

Read related: Miami Commission should kick no-bid soccer shopping complex out of Melreese

Including but not limited to? Please! He is obviously targeting Melreese to pave the way for Miami Freedom Park.

The mayor told Miami New Times that he simply wants the organization to provide the documentation that he has asked for about 15 or so entities using the golf course address at 1802 NW 37th Ave. They have 30 days to produce the documents, which include financial records for each of the companies — even though the city already has most of those documents and explanations from the group’s attorney about other entities that don’t exist anymore.

It certainly seems heavy handed, at the very least, and more like a first step in booting the non-profit from the property because, after all, they are an inconvenient obstacle to the big real estate deal. Suarez doesn’t want little kids in matching t-shirts coming to the meetings when the retail complex disguised as a soccer stadium starts negotiating with the city.

That’s just bad optics.

Perhaps there is something in the agreement with Delucca Enterprises that limits or prohibits the use of the address for other entities, even though they are all tied to the same organization one way or another. That would allow the city to find the Deluccas in default and give them cover to force them off the property.

Read related: Miami’s Francis Suarez loses big as Miami voters reject strong mayor measure

This is going to cause some major drama at the city commission meeting Thursday as Ladra fully expects Commissioner Willy Gort, whose district Melreese is in, and Commissioner Manolo Reyes, who has spoken against the Freedom Park plan, to balk.

And don’t forget the kids in the t-shirts.

Suarez is working hard to become a one-term mayor and making it easy for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez to take it from him in 2021.

More on that later.

11 Responses to "Two-faced Mayor Francis Suarez wants to kick kids off Melreese for developers"

  1. Francis Suarez wants to give 73+ acres of Melreese Park to Jorge Mas, a billionaire. The ads for the voter referundum showed a soccer stadium. BUT Mas is putting the soccer stadium in Broward County. Mas only wants Melreese so he can cover it in office buildings, a hotel and a mall.

  2. Dear Mr. or Ms. Woods and Sofia,

    Yes, the voters approved a referendum waiving the bid process to allow the city to negotiate a deal with Miami Freedom Park. But those negotiations do not have to automatically end in what the developers want, which is a huge office park with retail, a hotel and, oh yeah, a 25,000 seat stadium because it’s what gets them the property. No sir, ma’am. It can change between now and then.

    Also, this is going to take a couple of years. It is why Beckham and Jorge Mas went to Fort Lauderdale to redevelop historic Lockhart stadium and turn that into their training grounds, knowing they will play the first couple of seasons there. So Broward is going to benefit more and quicker than we will.

    There is no reason to boot the kids and the program out so quickly and so viciously. In fact, why wouldn’t Mayor Suarez and others try to find a new home for the program at another golf course? Isn’t that what they should be doing?

    Love, Ladra

  3. Although there are times when I miss South Florida, I am so glad to be living in the Tampa area and far, far away from the shenanigans.

    That’s not to say that Hillsborough County is controversy-free. But the craziness is low-key in comparison to Miami-Dade’s.

    • Alex ,
      Yes Miami has a lot of strong points but the politicos are organized crime . I call them the ” Cuban Cosa Nostra ” . What is normal here is unacceptable in most areas .

      For example it’s standard here to see these self serving commissioners , city council and Mayors family members get hired as ” consultants ” and we wind up paying way more money for EVERY project from paving a small street to building a structure then any other part of Florida .

      These same flunkies run and win election after election on the empty promise of lowering property tax yet raise it only to get a free pass over and over from voters .

      You can pretty much get caught doing whatever you want and chances are you will be reelected .

      This is TYPICAL of Miami banana republic —-

      ”Miami commissioner’s private sector employer gets millions of dollars of contracts from airport- commissioner says “no conflict”

      Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz doesn’t seem to be too concerned over the appearance of insider dealings when it comes to work done by U.S. Construction- an outfit that he joined three years ago as a director, after his previous employer was shut down on fraud charges and two of his bosses were sent off to prison.

      Over the last three years since Diaz was hired by U.S. Construction, the company has become the top general contractor at the Miami International Airport, according to an investigation by The Miami Herald. During the same period, Diaz has served as chairman or vice-chairman supervising the County Commission’s committee overseeing airport operations.

      U.S. Construction has pulled over 36 permits since Diaz’s arrival, handling everything from Duty Free stores to the sprawling La Carreta restaurant. In fact, the company has secured three times the work of the next-largest contractor. Prior to hiring Diaz, the contractor was a minor player at the airport.

      A spokesperson for one competitor, said they stopped bidding on work at the airport because of Diaz’s influence on choosing contractors.”

  4. One day Miami-dade voters will have enough of these self serving , corrupt by normal standards , career politicos and vote them all out . Give new people a chance .

    LOL .I’m kidding that was a joke and not going to happen here .

    This is why they laugh as they use OUR money for PRIVATE businesses which in reality mostly benefit them and their family , friends .

  5. There is A Political “NO TRUST ZONE ” in Our State ! Why We Elect politicians That DO NOT Represent US >
    It’s a Turning Door of Corruption , They are Elected Because of How Much money the Lobbyist could raise for campaign and Not In What Their Bringing to the table ?
    We have Enough Of Corruption in Miami Dade And Now They Elect Them Self to Their Own Boards TOO . Mr Suarez is on the TPO , W/ Bovo . Mayor Gimenez is The MDX . Their Mouth Talks Comes OUT of N S E & W Not Only Two Sides Vote No to MellResse Park ? That Park Should not be Call FREEDOM and For Sure NOT FREE !

  6. I thought we had a vote in the City of Miami. The residents voted for the stadium and retail complex. Isn’t that Democracy? Melreese is not a public park/space. It cost over $70 per person to even use the facility. Grew up in District 1 none of my friends or neighbors have been to this portion of the park — Which is really Grapeland Park. They use the baseball fields and water park. District 1 specifically Grapeland and Allapattah both neighborhoods adjacent to the site are in dire need of investment, family friendly restaurants and entertainment. We have nothing- NO Arcade, Ice Cream Parlor, Movie Theater, etc. This will hopefully spark much needed investment along the hundreds of empty lots on NW 36th street and 27th avenue. This doesn’t displace any resident. Those fighting for green spaces should then ask the city to make the space truly a public green space Like tropical park or Amelia Earhart Park – for the entire community to enjoy- Not just the small group Sat or Sunday mornings that live in Cocounut Grove, the Gables etc. They play a bit then go back to residential areas with access to amenities, retail, family friendly activities etc. I don’t see all those fighting for Melreese “NOT A OPEN PUBLIC SPACE” for the numerous other parks in this District which have had a lack of investment for decades, from no water fountains, to broken benches, to broken gates and kids play grounds. Maybe the team should commit to investing funds specially for improvements in District 1 Parks and Schools. Rather than the monies go to City to decide— which most go to Brickell, Coconut Grove, the Roads and Shenandoah.

  7. 99% of Politicians talk out of both sides of their Mouth because it serves their own purpose which is serving the interest of Big Business taking away from existing business no matter at any cost ,as in ,the end justifies the means regardless of how many business or people they destroy in the process.The people giving Miami Mayor Francis Suarez as well as Miami Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and all the Commissioners give legal/Illegal bribes by way of Campaign donations by doing it in many secretive ways .This Beckham soccer stuff is not new in Miami Dade County Government. Just ask Miami Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and his best friend Former Miami Dade County Deputy Mayor Chip Iglesius who is now with the Powerful Lobbying/Attorney Group Ballard Partners. “Money talks and Bull Shit Walks” !

  8. No Fan of El Alcalde here but wasn’t this complex approved by voters (not that they’re always right….lots of examples of that) . Ultimately there was an election and most folks rather see the stadium and complex. Is the Mayor being petty …probably, but the commission is not any better. Let’s not start a sports war using kids as proxies, Fiirst Tee’s v Little Soccer Ballers or something like that. My monies are on the team throwing the golf balls and carrying clubs , soccer balls are no match for that.

  9. Accurate. Francis Suarez is destroying any goodwill he might have earned. Evicting under privileged kids? Evicting kids and destroying a public park so billionaires can have a No-Bid real estate deal?

  10. How about we all show up to the next city commission meeting wearing a First Tee shirt… and on the reverse “Isn’t it always for the children?”

    Then again, the same names only care about their own children…

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