City of Miami voters are now weighing whether the long-shuttered Historic Miami Marine Stadium should move ahead under a proposed management agreement with Global Spectrum L.P., with early voting open ahead of the August 18, 2026 special election.
The question is local and concrete: the city says the agreement would cover Miami Marine Stadium and Flex Park at 3501 Rickenbacker Causeway, set a 40-year term, and require Global Spectrum to contribute up to $10 million toward restoration of the landmark waterfront venue.
Miami-Dade's elections office says early voting for the countywide primary and City of Miami referendum special election runs from August 3 through August 16 at 23 sites. City voters may use any early-voting site while it is open, while Election Day voting on August 18 runs through assigned precincts.
What The Ballot Question Would Approve
The official City of Miami election notice says a yes vote would authorize a management agreement for Global Spectrum to activate and manage events at the stadium and Flex Park. The ballot language says the city would receive 93% of gross sales from events after a $33,333 monthly management fee, and 85% of sponsorship revenues.
The notice also says the agreement would include an initial 10-year term with up to three additional 10-year renewals. That is why the public shorthand for the proposal is a 40-year management deal. The ballot question does not decide every design, scheduling or construction detail; it asks voters whether this operating structure should be allowed to move forward.
Local coverage from WLRN and Axios has framed the referendum as a decision on whether Miami should use a private operator to help revive a venue that has sat at the center of repeated restoration efforts. The stadium, on Virginia Key, is one of the city's most recognizable public waterfront structures, so the vote is about more than one event contract: it is also about who gets to shape a public landmark's return to use.
Voting Deadlines To Check
The vote-by-mail request deadline passed at 5 p.m. on August 6, but voters who already have a mail ballot still have time to return it. Miami's election page says a mail ballot must be received by the Supervisor of Elections no later than 7 p.m. local time on Election Day to be counted.
The county's sample-ballot guidance also tells voters to review their customized ballot before voting, because party, nonpartisan and municipal contests can vary. Miami voters who are focused on the Marine Stadium question should still check their full ballot before going to an early-voting site or their assigned precinct.
What Happens Next
If voters approve the referendum, city officials would have authorization to proceed with the proposed management structure for the stadium and Flex Park. If voters reject it, the city would need another path for the venue's operations and restoration funding.
For Miami residents, the immediate task is simpler: decide before August 18 whether the revenue split, management fee, sponsorship terms and restoration contribution are enough to justify a long-term operating agreement for the Virginia Key site.
