Mini golf course aimed at bringing families to South Beach gets preliminary approval
Miami Beach commissioners voted Wednesday to enter negotiations with a private vendor to potentially bring an 18-hole outdoor miniature golf course to a public South Beach park in an effort to bring more families to the famed entertainment district.
A final vote is still needed to approve the project after different city committees review the plans.
South Beach Putt is a proposal by Rockefeller Sports and Games for the hard-packed sand of Lummus Park between Fifth and Seventh streets. The proposed area is just off Ocean Drive between the beach dunes and the serpentine path.
Commissioner Steven Meiner, who sponsored the proposal, said it could be built at no cost to the city, but the public would be charged to play the course. Initial plans are for a three-year contract with one-year renewal options, but final terms will be negotiated.
Meiner said he hopes the project could curb crime in South Beach. Large spring break crowds last month led the city to impose an emergency curfew in the area after five people were injured in shootings on Ocean Drive.
“I actually view this item as a public safety item because the more we have positive activation in that area the less problems and crime we see,” Meiner said.
He said the course would be custom-made to the specifications of the commission. Renderings of sample holes pay homage to Art Deco architecture and beach scenes, and a description of the course says it will also feature Latin-inspired music, the sound of waves crashing against the shore and animal sounds.
The commission voted unanimously to move the project forward, but some expressed concerns over some of the details. It will require five of seven commission votes for final approval.
Commissioner Ricky Arriola said he personally liked mini golf but he had not thought through how that type of project would gel with the city’s vision for Ocean Drive. The city has hired architect Bernard Zyscovich to develop a “vision plan” for the area.
“It’s fun but it’s also a goof,” he said. “It’s something that’s lampooned as roadside attractions in small towns.”
Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez said she was initially reluctant about the idea, but is open to trying something new. She jokingly challenged Arriola to a mini golf match.
“We have nothing to lose and we want to attract families there,” she said.
This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 11:08 AM.
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