Nu Stadium still awaiting occupancy certificate before next Inter Miami home game
In last week’s mad dash to open the new Inter Miami soccer stadium for the April 4 home opener, the city of Miami issued a special permit so the inaugural match could proceed as planned — albeit with fire inspectors and fire engines on standby.
The “limited event permit” was issued in lieu of a temporary certificate of occupancy, known as a TCO, which grants permission to occupy a building before a final occupancy certificate is issued.
Now, with the second home game days away, the city says that, as of Tuesday afternoon, it is “still working diligently to issue a TCO” ahead of Inter Miami’s April 11 match against the New York Red Bulls.
The city and the stadium had been working on securing a TCO in the days leading up to last week’s game.
Email records show the corporate counsel for Inter Miami CF emailed the city shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday, April 3 — less than 24 hours before kickoff — with a letter of intent and an emergency operations plan as part of an official request for the limited event permit.
It’s not clear what exactly is holding up the temporary certificate of occupancy. Asked for details, and whether it was related to fire-safety issues, city spokesperson Helena Poleo said: “There is still pending work to be completed. Once that work is completed and TCO inspections are completed, then the TCO will be issued.”
Fire and building personnel staffed the home opener
More than two dozen fire and building personnel staffed the April 4 match, Poleo said. That included:
- 14 building department staff, at a cost of $7,700
- 13 fire inspectors, at a cost of $7,997
- Two fire engines with eight firefighters on standby, at a cost of $5,349
The fire personnel were performing what’s known as “fire watch” as part of fire and life-safety code compliance.
Poleo said the costs for building department personnel were prepaid by Inter Miami and that the fire costs will be reimbursed to the city.
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