Miami Beach convention center battle continues

A long dispute could end with a new building for Miami Beach to host conventions and lure visitors. The Miami Beach City Commission voted to endorse the renovations in spring 2007 but declined to pledge money or resources to the project over neighborhood improvements. New Mayor Matti Bower, a backer of the proposed new building, has helped launch an almost complete update of a 2001 Conventions Sports & Leisure feasibility study to see what is needed now to make the center competitive. The earlier study called for the addition of a 50,000-square-foot multipurpose facility. In 2004, Miami-Dade pledged $55 million in Building Better Communities bond funds for the project. Arquitectonica has been retained to design the campus.