Miami voters face an Aug. 18 decision on the future of Marine Stadium

Miami voters will decide Tuesday, Aug. 18, whether the city may enter a proposed 40-year management agreement with Global Spectrum L.P. for events at Historic Miami Marine Stadium and Flex Park.

The question is Miami Referendum 2 on the August 18, 2026, primary-election ballot. It covers the city-owned site at 3501 Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami. A yes vote would authorize the city to enter the proposed agreement. A no vote would reject that ballot authorization.

What the referendum would authorize

The ballot asks whether Miami should enter an agreement with Global Spectrum to activate and manage events at Historic Miami Marine Stadium and Flex Park for a 40-year term.

Under the terms printed on the official ballot, the city would receive 93% of gross sales from all events after deducting a $33,333 monthly management fee. The city also would receive 85% of sponsorship revenues.

Global Spectrum would pay the city up to $10 million toward restoration of Historic Miami Marine Stadium. That language sets a maximum contribution; it does not guarantee a full restoration budget, a construction schedule or completed restoration work.

What a yes vote would not guarantee

Approval would give Miami authority to enter the proposed management agreement. It would not guarantee how many events would be held, how quickly restoration would proceed or how much revenue the city ultimately would collect.

Implementation of the agreement, restoration decisions, event scheduling and the venue’s financial performance would come later. The City Commission’s earlier action advanced the question to voters; it did not itself approve the final 40-year operating arrangement.

WLRN reported in February that the commission voted to send the management question to voters. Recent local coverage from Axios also described the Aug. 18 decision as a vote on whether the city should enter the proposed 40-year agreement with Global Spectrum.

When Miami voters can vote

Early voting runs Monday, Aug. 3, through Sunday, Aug. 16, according to the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections.

• Aug. 3-7: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Aug. 8-9: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Aug. 10-14: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Aug. 15-16: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. The official Miami-Dade master ballot lists the Marine Stadium question as Miami Referendum 2, with Yes and No choices.

The practical choice

A yes vote would allow Miami to pursue the proposed long-term management arrangement, including event operations, specified city revenue shares and Global Spectrum’s contribution of up to $10 million toward restoration. A no vote would deny that authorization on the Aug. 18 ballot.

The measure therefore gives voters a decision about whether the city may proceed with the proposed agreement—not a guarantee that restoration will be completed, that events will meet a particular schedule or that the city will collect a specific amount of revenue.

Sources

• Miami-Dade County official primary-election master ballot
• WLRN report on the Miami City Commission vote
• Axios Miami referendum guide