MIAMI _ Miami is considering a 10-year deal with international racing giant Formula One to host a Grand Prix on the streets of downtown.
The City Commission next week will consider authorizing negotiations with Formula One to stage the three-day racing event in downtown, with the expectation that the first Miami Grand Prix would be held sometime in October 2019.
News of a potential deal for a Miami Grand Prix, first reported by the Miami New Times, began to circulate in European media on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, Formula One confirmed that the organization wants to work out an agreement with the city.
"With over half a billion fans worldwide, Formula 1 is the greatest racing spectacle on the planet, and Miami's status as one of the world's most iconic and glamorous cities, combined with its robust tourism infrastructure, makes Miami the perfect destination for Formula 1 and its fans," Sean Bratches, managing director for Formula One's commercial operations, said in a statement.
The commission on May 10 will consider authorizing City Manager Emilio Gonzalez to negotiate a contract by no later than July 1. Any final agreement would require commission approval.
Under initial contract terms that would be discussed if the commission gives its blessing, a new company owned by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross would be the Miami Grand Prix's potential promoter, the entity that would stage and advertise the event.
"Miami is a first-class global city and Formula 1 is a first-class global brand," Ross said in a statement. "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."
Formula One began scouting downtown last year, meeting with recently elected Mayor Francis Suarez to discuss possible routes on city streets. Given the growth of residential condos in downtown, neighbors are likely to raise concerns over noise and traffic congestion over the event. Residents already complain about music from nearby nightclubs and when events such as Ultra Music Festival take over Bayfront Park.
If approved, it would be the first time that the Formula One racing series is held in Miami. But historically, racing on Miami's streets is nothing new.
In the 1980s, the Miami Grand Prix, overseen by promoter Ralph Sanchez, ran through Bayfront Park and the streets of downtown. This race was a separate racing series not affiliated with Formula One.
In 2015, the city hosted an electric automobile race called the Miami ePrix, which is under the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile's Formula E racing series. While well-attended, this, too, prompted some outcry from residents, and the event was held only once. The Formula E cars were quiet by auto racing standards, while the high-pitched whine of Formula One cars brings out earplugs even in many veteran racing fans.
