Commercial
Miami-Dade is waiting for two of subsequent yr’s premier sports activities occasions, the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches and the NASCAR Championship Weekend, with eyes on how a lot the county might should spend to host these big-money, high-profile spectacles.
Final week, commissioners voted to extend their World Cup payout for matches already coming right here in 2026 whereas they had been additionally requested to decide to talks with NASCAR about funding if the Homestead Motor Speedway is chosen for its annual occasion.
Interwoven with talks about added sports activities assist is recognition that the county is going through funds shortfalls after years of inflated post-covid spending fueled by federal funds. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has requested departments to funds for potential 10% cuts. Monetary assist to sporting occasions might additional deplete county funds.
On the finish of final week’s assembly, Kionne McGhee requested fellow commissioners to decide to a future dialog with NASCAR about “offering in-kind providers from county departments or legally obtainable vacationer improvement taxes or conference improvement taxes” to deliver the annual Championship Weekend to Homestead subsequent yr. A web site just isn’t but chosen. This yr’s three-day occasion is in Phoenix, with the championship automobile race on Nov. 2.
“We’re simply making an attempt to get NASCAR to deliver its Championship Weekend to Miami-Dade County, particularly down within the South Dade district,” mentioned Mr. McGhee, who represents that space.
The request, which handed, introduced a warning from Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III, who supported the supply.
“Earlier than we do this stuff,” Mr. Gilbert mentioned, “perceive that the county is the backstop for this stuff. We ought to be. There’ll be an inflow of income that we weren’t anticipating. However the board earlier than us – they’re the individuals who made the selections on the World Cup and stuff – however in the true world, the county is the backstop for this stuff.”
The backstop place was introduced dwelling through the assembly because the fee by preliminary vote agreed so as to add $10.5 million to subsequent yr’s World Cup assist, to which the county had already dedicated $10.5 million money plus in-kind providers of the sort that Mr. McGhee is searching for for NASCAR.
“After we say in-kind providers,” Mr. Gilbert mentioned, “the in-kind providers we’re speaking about is police and fireplace, and so we’re ready now with the sheriff [whose office just became independent of the mayor and commission] the place we will’t simply in-kind. We now have to jot down a test to the sheriff for that.”
“We’ll get much more than we spend” from NASCAR, Mr. Gilbert mentioned, “however we simply want eyes open on this.”
With eyes on that in-kind providers invoice coming due, commissioners additionally unanimously backed a name by Eileen Higgins urging Congress to acceptable $625 million to the 12 US communities that can host FIFA World Cup matches subsequent June 11 to July 19, together with after all Miami. If divided equally, that will be $52 million per neighborhood to pay in-kind payments. The county’s at present deliberate in-kind World Cup spending is $25 million.
“Whereas I acknowledge the numerous constructive influence this occasion may have on our county,” Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins wrote to constituents after final week’s preliminary vote so as to add to World Cup funding, “I proceed to have issues in regards to the doubtlessly destructive fiscal influence a $21 million contribution may have on our funds…. I’m not assured that we will afford this expenditure.”