City of Miami voters will go to the polls on November 3, 2026, to decide whether to hand control of roughly 27.62 acres of publicly owned waterfront on Virginia Key to a private developer for 75 years — one of the longest municipal land deals the city has ever put to a public vote.

What exactly are Miami voters being asked to approve?

Voters will be asked to authorize a 75-year lease of approximately 27.62 acres at the Rickenbacker and Marine Stadium Marinas on Virginia Key to Virginia Key LLC, a joint venture between Texas-based Suntex Marinas and Miami Beach-based RCI Group, to fund an $80 million redevelopment of the two marina facilities. The lease would transfer operational control of the city-owned waterfront for the better part of a century in exchange for a major private investment in aging marina infrastructure.

  • Virginia Key LLC is a joint venture between Suntex Marinas (Texas) and RCI Group (Miami Beach).
  • The two marina sites — Rickenbacker Marina and Marine Stadium Marina — sit on Biscayne Bay waterfront.
  • The $80 million redevelopment figure is central to the developer's pitch to voters.

Why are opponents fighting this deal?

Opponents of the lease argue that the agreement is legally flawed and environmentally risky, and mounted a five-figure television advertising campaign against the measure. A lawsuit filed in July 2026 contends the deal violates Florida law. Critics also raise concerns that the financial terms are anchored to 2016–2017 market conditions — a decade out of date — making the arrangement a poor bargain for the public.

  • The lawsuit was filed in July 2026, ahead of the November 3, 2026 ballot.
  • Opponents cite potential harm to Biscayne Bay ecology.
  • Middle-class boaters could face displacement under the new management structure, critics warn.
  • Financial terms based on 2016–2017 conditions are seen as outdated and unfavorable to taxpayers.

What are the developers promising in return?

The developer-backed "Save Virginia Key" campaign argues the redevelopment would deliver tangible environmental and public benefits to Miami's waterfront. Proponents say the project would install living seawalls — engineered structures designed to support marine habitat — add new green space to Virginia Key, and earn a Florida Clean Marina designation, a state-recognized environmental certification for marinas that meet pollution-prevention standards.

What is at stake for Virginia Key and Biscayne Bay?

Virginia Key sits at the edge of Biscayne Bay, a federally protected aquatic preserve that stretches along Miami-Dade County's coastline, making the ecological dimension of this vote unusually high-stakes. A 75-year lease effectively removes the land from meaningful public reconsideration for three generations, locking in whatever environmental and access terms are negotiated today. The outcome on November 3, 2026 will set a precedent for how Miami manages its remaining publicly owned waterfront in an era of rising seas and intensifying development pressure.

Original reporting by Political Cortadito.