Miami GP organisers reveal new track layout ahead of latest vote
Miami GP organisers have released a map of the latest version of the proposed circuit around the Hard Rock Stadium – and which now avoids the use of public roads.
In addition they have promised that there will be “no racing during school hours” in a direct response to complaints about potential noise and air pollution associated with the event impacting local school children.
The news comes ahead of a crucial Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, when plans for the race – and specifically zoning issues related to the stadium district – will be discussed once more.
The map was revealed in a Tweet from Tom Garfinkel, vice chairman, president and CEO of both the Miami Dolphins NFL team and the stadium organisation. Garfinkel, who was previous executive vice president of Chip Ganassi Racing, is also the promoter of the F1 race.
Presenting an image of the map, Garfinkel wrote: “The F1 Miami Grand Prix will showcase Miami-Dade and Miami Gardens to the World. See new track below - world-class racing w/o using 199th St, and no racing during school hours. We hope the County Commission will support our effort to deliver this huge global event to you!”
The original version of the stadium track used a half-mile section of 199th Street, which was built as part of the stadium project but is a public road. By avoiding it and sticking to stadium land Garfinkel hopes to address one of the major concerns of residents, namely access and traffic during race week.
One of the key issues is that the stadium district zoning ordinance currently includes “automotive races” in the list of allowable uses for the land.
The proposal being debated and vote on in Wednesday’s meeting, sponsored by Commissioner Barbara Jordan, is to amend this specific section so that races “may only be approved in the [Stadium] district as a special exception after a public hearing.”
Her memorandum notes that while a race “can have a positive impact on a community in the form of increased publicity, tourism and economic development,” it can also have a detrimental impact on local residents “as the motor vehicles are very loud and may release exhaust fumes, and the duration of the race and closed roads may cause traffic congestion and inconvenience to residents.”
Jordan proposes that any applicant for a race has to submit a site plan which shows “safety features to confine accidents and other race impacts to the track itself and away from adjoining or adjacent properties” and “distance of the race track and spectator areas from single-family residential properties.”
In addition there has to be “a plan for mitigating potential impacts to single-family residential properties from noise, odors, accidents, congregation of people, and other impacts inherent to spectator sports and automobile race uses.”
Miami-Gardens residents voiced their continues opposition to the race at a recent “town hall” meeting. Plans have also been made for a protest against the race to be held outside the Hard Rock Stadium on the afternoon of Sunday February 2nd, the day the venue hosts the Superbowl showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fliers for the event are headlined “Stand up against environmental injustice in Miami-Gardens – say “No” to Formula 1 racing at Hard Rock Stadium.”
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