Miami Marine Stadium deserves its future — and our vote | Opinion

Everyone is familiar with the expressions “build it and they will come” and “patience is a virtue.” However, let me add to the list: “If it’s easy, it’s not worth it.”

That last phrase was shared with me by my dear friend and mentor — and Miami attorney — the late Parker Thomson, as it related to the effort of building a performing arts center in downtown Miami.

Looking back through the years, all of these can be applied to every major effort in which I participated either as a member of the tourism industry or as a community leader. In December 1967, I opened the Hilton Plaza Hotel as vice president and general manager. Little did I know at that time it would take 31 years to build another new hotel, the Loews Miami Beach.

Thanks to the leadership of the late Bill Cullom and the leadership of the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA), the organization I founded and led for 20 years, it was accomplished.

In 1972, the Miami Beach Convention Center was expanded but it took 17 years before another renovation took place and 29 years before the current one opened in 2018. GMBHA and the GMCVB were instrumental in making this happen.

In 2001, at a workshop of tourism leaders, a goal was set to build a convention center headquarters hotel.

In May of this year, ground was broken on the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 24 years after being set as a goal.

In 1991, the first meeting of the Performing Arts Center Trust was held. We met and set a goal of five years, yet it took 15 years before the doors were open to the public — eventually that became the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

In 2011, Meg Daly, the daughter of Parker Thomson, had a vision to build a biking and walking trail running 10 miles from Brickell to Dadeland Mall under the Metrorail. Next June, The Underline will be completed after 15 years.

Why this history lesson? It was 16 years ago that I was asked to sit on a committee to restore the Miami Marine Stadium.

There was no traction until four years ago when, with the help of Don Worth, I was able to have a feasibility study done which showed that, if operated by a third party, the venue would be profitable.

With the support of the Miami Herald, the city of Miami issued an RFP seeking a qualified operator. The two largest entertainment companies in the country responded and one was selected by an evaluation committee.

This journey has now reached its most critical time, for on Sept. 4, the Miami city commission will decide whether to put it on the November ballot for the voters to decide.

This iconic venue, the only one of its kind in the country, is part of Miami’s history and now part of its future.

It sure hasn’t been easy, but there’s no question it’s worth it.

Stuart Blumberg is one of the founders of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. He also served as chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and of the Miami Beach Convention Center Advisory Board.