Miami Beach cuts his donation to the World Cup

Miami Beach is warming up to welcome FIFA World Cup 2026, the world’s largest sporting event, next summer. City officials unanimously approved legislation with the aim of setting up the city as a local hub for the sporting event and to give FIFA a money sponsorship of $ 1.25 million.

The city is pleased to have FIFA, said Mayor Steven Meiner during last month’s committee meeting. “It is literally a kind of a unique opportunity to make FIFA here for our city and the community in South Florida.”

Mayor Meiner noted that the initial amount of money sponsor was $ 1.5 million. However, he expressed his concern and “had a conference call with the guest committee and asked them to get $ 1.25 million, what they have, so I appreciate that. That is what is on the table today.”

Lissette Arrogante, the director of the city of tourism and culture, told the committee that the administration had negotiated with the FIFA guest committee in recent months.

The conditions for the special event sponsor application that was presented at the meeting December 20, 2024, Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC), were: “Rearms of special event costs, Lummus Park User Poes, Square Images and City Services no more than $ 500,000, Cash Sponsor Ship no more of the $ 5 -year -old by the $ 5 -year -old by the $ 5 -year -old by the $ 5 of a. Noord, rights in exchange for the public benefits of an official kick-off concert in Lummis Park, an official watch party location in Miami Beach, a media row similar to Super Bowl in Lummis Park, and a Legacy project with a high-quality football field in the city. “

During the FERC Budget workshop of 11 July, she said, the mayor and committee members discussed the money sponsorship of the special event sponsorship and the staff asked to negotiate and reduce the amount from $ 1.5 million to $ 1.25 million.

Mrs. Arrogante noted that specific events are excluded from the FIFA’s zone of exclusivity. Such events include “The Miami Beach Pride Celebration in Lummis Park in June, the city of Miami Beach Juneteeenth Celebration, the July 4 parties in Lummis Park and in Altos del Mar Park.” Moreover, “a FIFA legend” is to attend a public event by Miami Beach.

The World Cup is the largest sporting event in the world, and this is the largest world cup ever held, said Ray Martinez, Chief Operating Officer for the World Cup Miami Host Committee, during the meeting.

“There are 48 different countries that will participate,” he said, “104 games spread over 16 host cities, with Miami one of them. We have seven games that are played here at the Hard Rock Stadium, which is renamed the Miami Stadium for the matches. We have four qualifying matches, a round of 32, a round of 32, a round of a round of 32” “” “

The impact of FIFA on the city was further emphasized by Commissioner Alex Fernandez.

“I looked back in 2024,” he said, “when the game day for Copa America, and when you look at our occupancy rate … in Miami Beach for the party day of Copa America, almost 10%rose, our ADRs [average daily rates] Almost 14%went, our gross room income fell by 27%, and that is only to data if they relate to our hotels, which does not go and will investigate the impact on our restaurants, or the important media impact that we will get from having media here. “

With seven games here, he said, one can only imagine the greater effects they will have.

“This is a unique opportunity,” said Commissioner Joseph Magazine. “This will be the biggest event in the world, and possibly the greatest event in the history of Miami and Miami Beach. For those who wonder why the city may give FIFA such a substantial sum of money, one to clarify, it comes from our resort tax, which are designed to promote and increase.

This is not a giveaway, he said, this is due to the substantial benefits that the city will receive in exchange for this.

“That $ 1.25 Million That Fifa Will Utilize,” Said Mr. Magazine, “Will be paid back to the city multiple times about through things like viewing parties, watching parties, the international exposure and the marketing that we’re going to get from worldwide broadcasts, the billions of people that show front and love drive, awnit ocean dick Beaches, Things Are Incalculable, Immeasurable.