The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the City of Miami are currently planning the official move of the Miami International Boat Show to a new permanent home at the Miami Marine Stadium at Virginia Key.

This move will create a host of problems for our environment, our community and for the millions of visitors who travel to enjoy our barrier island's natural beauty year-round. Here are the facts:  

• Environmental damage:  A recent US Army Corp of Engineers report showed that the Boat Show's move would cause "substantial" harm to Virginia Key's ecosystem and lead to serious impacts on marine life.  Please find an article from the Miami Herald outlining these effects here.
• Blocking year-round access: The Boat Show only takes place over a 5-day period, yet the event's set-up and take-down will require the site and adjacent waterfront to be closed-off for public access for up to 6 months of the year. This would completely eliminate the creation and use of a public park that was outlined in the Virginia Key Master Plan.
• Taxpayer burden: The City of Miami's plan to commercialize the Marine Stadium site will require $16 million in taxpayer dollars. Alternative sites, including Marlins Park, have been suggested, but Boat Show organizers insist Virginia Key is the only location that 'suits their logistical needs.'
• Traffic nightmare: The Rickenbacker Causeway will be a virtual parking lot during the Boat Show, restricting access for visitors to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne and causing gridlock for emergency vehicles.

Read more at savevirginiakey.org