Miami amphitheater will soon don a retractable roof

Article posted by Coliseum, August 8^th, 2018

Image: Jason Koerner/Frost

The Klipsch Amphitheater at Miami’s Bayfront Park will don a solar ring and a retractable roof ahead of the Super Bowl festivities in early 2020, the Miami Herald reported.

The Miami City Commission on July 26 awarded the contract for the project to Florida Power & Light (FPL). “This is going to be an iconic structure for the city,” the Herald quoted Mayor Francis Suarez as saying.

Under the proposed contract terms, which are still being finalized, the city would not pay anything to build or install the structure. That would be FPL’s responsibility, the report said. The quasi-public Bayfront Park Management Trust would pay for operation of the retractable roof and routine maintenance, for which it has set aside $40,000 per year.

The report also cited FPL claiming that the solar ring will be one of the largest urban solar projects in the country. But it won’t be a money-maker for the city. The proposed contract says FPL would pay a $10 annual license fee, and the power generated would go into FPL’s grid, according to the report.

“The installation of the [solar ring] will pique the curiosity of the City’s residents and visitors of all ages, encouraging discussion about sustainability and inspiring them to learn more about the benefits of solar energy,” Annie Perez, the city’s procurement director, wrote in a memo recommending that City Manager Emilio Gonzalez waive competitive bidding requirements, according to the Herald report.

The retractable roof would also allow concerts and other events at Klipsch Amphitheater to be held when it’s raining. Bayfront Park is expected to host more events than any other venue in the week leading up to the February 2, 2020, Super Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

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