Miami-Dade mayor promotes downtown convention center

Carlos Gimenez
Carlos Gimenez

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez promoted the idea of a convention center in downtown Miami during his annual “State of the County” address.

Gimenez endorsed a downtown convention center, saying the presence of the Miami Beach Convention Center should not be a deterrent, the Miami Herald reported. MDM Group is planning to build a tower with 500,000 square feet of convention space within the Miami Worldcenter mixed-use development site. After the speech, Gimenez noted he is not pushing for public funding for a downtown convention center.

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The mayor also reiterated his support for a light rail system connecting the mainland to Miami Beach. Gimenez said the county should not anticipate state or federal dollars for the project, however. [Miami Herald]Eric Kalis